Agenda item

Cabinet:

1. Approved the Havering and Wates Regeneration Joint Venture Business Plan dated January 2019, as attached at the exempt agenda report.

2. Agreed to delegate to the Leader of the Council, after consultation with the s151 Officer, the Director of Regeneration and the Director of Legal and Governance, the authority to approve the business cases, related viability assessments and incorporation of an opportunity site known as Chippenham Road as may be presented during the Business Plan 2019-20 period.

3. Agreed that the s151 Officer responds to the service of any notice as described in the exempt agenda of this report served by the HWR indicating a willingness or otherwise to participate in making third party debt available from the Council, subject to contract and due diligence.

4. Agreed that the s151 Officer, after consultation with the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council, may enter into 3^rd Party funding agreements consistent with the Treasury Management Strategy and the Councils Scheme of Delegation

5. Authorised the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance to make variations to the JV Development and Members agreements to enable forward funding of Napier and New Plymouth and inclusion of the Chippenham Road site into the Havering and Wates Regeneration LLP.

6. Agreed the phasing and works packages for the 12 HRA Regeneration Sites, as identified at 2.1, subject to any changes made by the Leader in approving the business cases.

7. Authorised the Director of Housing to arrange for the service of demolition notices at the appropriate time in relation to all affected properties on the named estates and schemes in this report.

8. Agreed to continue to develop the proposals for the Blue Line and Opportunity Sites.

Councillor Osman Dervish, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, presented the report to Cabinet.  The Havering and Wates Residential LLP will deliver the 12 Estates Regeneration Programme which was approved by Cabinet in January, 2018.

This programme is a residential led regeneration plan that will renew the Council’s housing stock on the identified sites with a potential to more than treble the amount of genuinely affordable housing across the sites and replace some of those lost through the Right to Buy Scheme.

The regeneration programme is strategically linked to meeting the Housing targets set for Havering in the emerging Local plan and to reducing the homelessness pressure on the General Fund.  The resultant additional affordable stock will also help to sustain the HRA through increased revenue from and increased number of homes.

Council officers and the JV have been working to progress the Council’s prioritised Estates which were the Waterloo Estate, Napier and Plymouth Houses in Rainham and Solar, Serena and Sunrise Courts, a sheltered complex in Hornchurch which combine to make up Work Package One.

Work has progressed well on these sites.  Site investigations have commenced and planning applications for each of these sites will be submitted within the first half of the year. Solar, Serena and Sunrise are all now vacant and Napier and new Plymouth Houses are expected to be so in the near future.  Due to the progress made in respect of achieving vacant possession Cabinet will be asked to approve the development on Solar, Serena, Sunrise, Napier and New Plymouth to be accelerated ahead of the Waterloo Estate.  A further report seeks to approve the demolition contract to ensure the delivery of the expedited new homes.  It is now proposed that up to 3,936 new homes could be developed through this programme. The programme would include the wholesale redevelopment of the Harold Hill District Town Centre and the inclusion of the Chippenham Road Opportunity Site which is currently where the Council‘s Housing Office is situated.

In addition to this the JV has also been working in the Borough to support local people and businesses through their social value initiatives.  Apprenticeships have been organised with the design team and the first of four meet the buyer events have been held to advertise supply chain opportunities for local businesses.

Members and Wates staff served Christmas lunch to the volunteers at the Salvation Army to thank them for their work throughout the year.  Additionally, Wates have employed several local people and are looking to establish a local office in Romford.

This report constitutes the annual update of the Havering and Wates Regeneration LLP and a review of its plans, future financial projections and funding requirements for 2019/20.  Cabinet is recommended to agree the Business Plan detailed in the report noting the significant regeneration for the 12 sites, the contribution towards Havering’s target for Housing delivery, the increase in the amount of affordable homes for local people as a result and the anticipated financial returns of the plan.  The figures are included within the HRA Business Plan report and the Treasury Management report.

There followed some discussion of which some occurred in closed session.

Cabinet:

1. Approved the Havering and Wates Regeneration Joint Venture Business Plan dated January 2019, as attached at the exempt agenda report.

2. Agreed to delegate to the Leader of the Council, after consultation with the s151 Officer, the Director of Regeneration and the Director of Legal and Governance, the authority to approve the business cases, related viability assessments and incorporation of an opportunity site known as Chippenham Road as may be presented during the Business Plan 2019-20 period.

3. Agreed that the s151 Officer responds to the service of any notice as described in the exempt agenda of this report served by the HWR indicating a willingness or otherwise to participate in making third party debt available from the Council, subject to contract and due diligence.

4. Agreed that the s151 Officer, after consultation with the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council, may enter into 3^rd Party funding agreements consistent with the Treasury Management Strategy and the Councils Scheme of Delegation

5. Authorised the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance to make variations to the JV Development and Members agreements to enable forward funding of Napier and New Plymouth and inclusion of the Chippenham Road site into the Havering and Wates Regeneration LLP.

6. Agreed the phasing and works packages for the 12 HRA Regeneration Sites, as identified at 2.1, subject to any changes made by the Leader in approving the business cases.

7. Authorised the Director of Housing to arrange for the service of demolition notices at the appropriate time in relation to all affected properties on the named estates and schemes in this report.

8. Agreed to continue to develop the proposals for the Blue Line and Opportunity Sites.