Issue - decisions

Resolved:  That the Executive agree to:

(i)           Approve the development of new council housing at Ordnance Lane. 

(ii)          Approve the appointment of the contractor who is selected from the OJEU compliant tender process to build the new temporary homeless accommodation at Ordnance Lane to also build up to 24 new council homes should:

·     the cost be within the anticipated budget for traditional build as identified in this report or;

·     if the benefits of a single contract and planning permission mitigate any additional cost

      This decision to be delegated to the Directors of Communities and Neighbourhoods and Customer and Business Support.

(iii)        Delegate authority to the Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods to agree the inclusion of an element of market housing should it be considered appropriate to cross fund the development or create mixed sustainable communities.

(iv)        Recommend a future report is brought to the Executive which considers options for a range of different delivery and funding models and potential land acquisitions for building new council housing.

(v)         Re-examine the proposals for the Newbury Avenue, Acomb site, listed at Table Two of the report, to allow full consultation with Ward Members and local residents.

Reason:  (i)   To allow the council to add a significant number of homes to its existing asset base and help to alleviate the acute housing need in the city.

(ii)   There is an on-going OJEU compliant tender process to appoint a contractor to design and build a new 39 unit temporary homeless accommodation scheme at Ordnance Lane (with returns due back in August). As part of this tender process, an alternative lot has been invited to build both the homeless accommodation and provide new council housing on the remainder of the site. Should the cost of building that new council housing through this route represent value for money it will allow the appointment of a single contractor to build both schemes with associated advantages, such as a single planning application, reduced delivery timescale and minimising the disruption of a phased development.

(iii)  To ensure a mix of tenures to create a mixed and sustainable community and to provide cross subsidy to help fund the delivery of council homes.

(iv) To ensure new council housing is delivered in the most effective way possible.

(v)     In order to allow a re-examination of the scheme in light of residents concerns.