Agenda item

The Assistant Director, Regeneration and Asset Managementto present a report which outlines the site development business case for the former Lowfield School site and seeks approval for the necessary steps to take the development forward.

Resolved:  (i)      That Option 1 be approved and existing project management resources be used to undertake the procurement of a construction contractor and related support services, in compliance with all relevant procurement legislation, for the residential development , associated infrastructure and public space works at the Lowfield site, in accordance with planning permission once this is received.

                   (ii)      That it be noted that:

a)   A detailed business plan for the development of the site will be brought back to the Executive before a contract is entered into;

b)   The intention is for the Housing Development Contractor to be the employer for the purposes of the contract, subject to Executive approval of its establishment.

(iii)     That the high level business case for Lowfield to exceed the planning policy level of affordable housing be approved, with the precise level of affordable housing to be determined at the point when the detailed business case is considered.

(iv)     That approval be given to recruit of a Development Project Manager to aid the delivery of residential redevelopment and associated infrastructure at Lowfield.

(v)     That the steps required and the timescale associated with the commencement of development at Lowfield be noted.    

Reason:     To progress with the building of much needed new homes in York.

The Assistant Director, Regeneration and Asset Management presented a report which outlined the site development business case for the former Lowfield School site and sought approval for the necessary steps to take the development forward.

The Executive had approved a spatial plan for redevelopment  of the site on 7 December 2016.  Further detail had since been added and in July 2017 a second public consultation had taken place, with 66% of responders supporting the plans.  The outline site plan, providing 165 homes in total, was attached as Annex 1. A decision on the planning application was expected in early 2018. 

Three options were presented:

Option 1 – approve the delivery of Lowfield through the Housing Development Company, once established, as recommended in the report and detailed in paragraphs 13-32.  This would provide a positive response to priority need in the city, creating a form and focus of housing development not commonly delivered through commercial developers.

Option 2 – authorise the council to procure a commercial builder to build and sell the houses.   This would be likely to deliver reduced affordable housing and a lower financial return to the council.

Option 3 – sell the site on the open market for a developer to deliver the housing. This would remove the council’s control over the development and risk reducing open space and affordable housing, as well as making delivery of other aspects of the scheme, such as the care home and health hub, more challenging.

The Chair noted that the written submissions on this item would be properly addressed through the planning process.

Cllr Waller indicated that, although he agreed in principle with retaining the land, he did not support the recommendations as they stood, since he felt that the issue of loss of open space in Westfield Ward had not been addressed.  The remaining Members

Resolved:  (i)      That Option 1 be approved and existing project management resources be used to undertake the procurement of a construction contractor and related support services, in compliance with all relevant procurement legislation, for the residential development , associated infrastructure and public space works at the Lowfield site, in accordance with planning permission once this is received.

                   (ii)      That it be noted that:

a)   A detailed business plan for the development of the site will be brought back to the Executive before a contract is entered into;

b)   The intention is for the Housing Development Contractor to be the employer for the purposes of the contract, subject to Executive approval of its establishment.

(iii)     That the high level business case for Lowfield to exceed the planning policy level of affordable housing be approved, with the precise level of affordable housing to be determined at the point when the detailed business case is considered.

(iv)    That approval be given to recruit of a Development Project Manager to aid the delivery of residential redevelopment and associated infrastructure at Lowfield.

(v)     That the steps required and the timescale associated with the commencement of development at Lowfield be noted.   

Reason:     To progress with the building of much needed new homes in York.