Agenda item

Cabinet:

(Please note the amended recommendation 4 from that shown in the report)

1.          Approved the strategy to deliver three sites under a single design vision, the considered sites include Farnham and Hilldene district town centre District Centre, Chippenham Rd and the Abercrombie Hostel sites and the former Library site (“the Combined Scheme”) as noted in Fig 1 where the red line boundary is edged at Appendix 1.

2.          Approved the Council-led funding and direct delivery of the regeneration of Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, as detailed in paragraphs 10.16 to 10.34 of the exempt Report.

3.          Approved the Council-led funding and direct delivery of the Family Welcome Centre and Medical Centre at the Abercrombie Hostel Site as detailed in paragraphs 10.01 to 10.38 of the Report.

4.          Approvedthe closure of the existing Abercrombie Hostel prior to the development of the Family Welcome Centre and the closure of the existing Will Perrin Hostel after the development of the new Family Welcome Centre. (Amended from recommendation 4 shown in the report as agreed by Cabinet)

5.          Noted the update on the projected costs to deliver the regeneration of Chippenham Road via the existing arrangements with the Havering and Wates Regeneration LLP as detailed in paragraphs 10.01 to 10.27.

6.          Noted a HRA capital budget of £45.139 million has been included within the proposed HWR 2021/22 budget to progress the Chippenham Road scheme.

7.          Agreed to endorse and recommend the budget of £192.817 million to progress the Council-led regeneration of the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre and the Abercrombie Hostel Site, noting thatthe HRA capital programme approved by Cabinet on 17 February 2021, and ratified by Full Council on 3 March 2021, includes the necessary capital funding to progress the regeneration.

8.          Agreed to endorse and recommend the inclusion of a budget of £4.602 million to progress the regeneration of a Medical Centre at the Abercrombie Hostel Site and £17.051 million for the development of a new commercial offering on the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre within the proposed General Fund Capital programme, noting thatthe General Fund capital programme approved by Cabinet on 17 February 2021, and ratified by Full Council on 3 March 2021 includes the necessary capital funding to progress the regeneration.

9.          Agreed to delegate to the Lead Member for Housing, after consultation with the Director of Housing and Director of Regeneration, the authority to approve the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre and Chippenham Road ballot (if required) including any ballot communication plan.

10.      Noted the continuation of the extensive stakeholder engagement and consultation programme identified within the body of this report.

11.      Noted officers are in the process of preparing an executive decision seeking approval to make application to the GLA for the provision of grant funding to support the delivery of affordable homes on the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre and Chippenham Road. In order to accept any funding offer and enter into the necessary formal contract(s), a full cabinet report will be brought forward for consideration.

12.      Authorised the Director of Regeneration after consultation with the s151 Officer and the Director of Housing to consider the appropriation between the general fund and HRA accounts of the Council and to implement such appropriation as necessary to develop Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, Chippenham Road and Abercrombie Hostel sites.

13.      Authorised the Director of Regeneration after consultation with the S151 Officer and the Director of Housing to consider and implement the appropriation of land for planning purposes, subject to the agreement of the Secretary of State, to facilitate the development of Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, Chippenham Road and Abercrombie Sites and approve an application to the Secretary of State for appropriation under section 19(2) of the Housing Act 1985 (the precise areas of land to be appropriated to be decided).

14.      Noted that the Director of Regeneration will undertake soft market testing to establish main interest in the project and a detailed non-key decision on procurement commencement post checkpoint 1 will be provided for formal approval in line with the Constitution and Contract Procedure Rules.

Cabinet considered a report to agree on the delivery method for Regeneration of the Hilldene, Farnham, Chippenham and Hostel site.

It was explained that  Harold Hill has, for many years, and continues to be, one of the most deprived areas not only in Havering but in London. To try to rectify this, Harold Hill had been the focus of a previous Council led regeneration programme called Harold Hill Ambitions. In essence, the programme was hugely successful in delivering a physical and community regeneration programme.

The emerging Local Plan’s spatial strategy was to deliver good growth and envisaged growth and development being shared across the Borough’s district centres, such as Harold Hill. In addition to this, the emerging Local Plan encouraged new high-quality residential development and residential intensification within and close to the centre. It also supported an appropriate scale of retail, culture, service industries and office development. The new development was expected to make a positive contribution to place making and local distinctiveness. 

As part of the Council’s regeneration aspirations, three separate sites had been identified in Harold Hill as an opportunity to deliver the outcomes prescribed by the emerging Local Plan. The considered sites included Farnham & Hilldene, Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, Abercrombie Hostel and Chippenham Road as shown by the red line boundary attached in Appendix 1.

Approval was being sought to progress with the strategy to deliver the three sites under a single, cohesive design vision. Officers would be enabled to move forward with community-led, socio-economic regeneration which would complement other area-based initiatives within the Council such as the Community Hubs and Local Community Coordination. It was envisaged that holistic intervention in Harold Hill would deliver community wealth building and improved social outcomes. 

In addition the preferred delivery method approval was sought of the individual sites. In the interests of securing the best value for the Council, an analysis had been conducted to consider each site on its own merit in order to determine the best delivery method.  Considered within the report was delivery via the Council’s existing joint venture, Havering Wates Regeneration LLP (HWR) or a direct delivery approach funded through the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

To enable the viability assessment, a capacity study exercise has been conducted to explore various design options for each site. This exercise has informed an indicative financial position to be drawn of the individual sites and to conclude budget recommendations. The key commercial inputs have been reviewed and validated by external specialists.

At the heart of the single design vision was the existing Farnham and Hilldene district town centre. Despite its relatively poor state and deprivation, the centre remains vibrant and formed an integral part of any plans for regeneration due to its presence and commercial footfall, as well as engendering a strong sense of community.

The Chippenham Road site was first identified in 2019 as an opportunity site for regeneration due to the closure of the Council housing offices. The site was adopted by the Havering and Wates Regeneration LLP (HWR) for development.

Abercrombie Hostel site was more recently included in the overarching area proposals in order to maximise the benefits of regeneration for the Council and its residents. 

Furthermore, the report proposed that the regeneration of Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, Chippenham Road and the Abercrombie Hostel sites were progressed under a combined design scheme, taking into account the commercial offering, housing need and social infrastructures required to support the community. Consideration was given to the benefits of delivering a new community Medical Centre and replacement of the existing Abercrombie Hostel facilities with a new high quality Family Welcome Centre.

The regeneration would take several years and would require rehousing and re-provision of existing households and businesses. As such, considerations were given to phasing the development, to ensure potential costs and disruption was minimised to community and business stakeholders. Further detailed proposals would be developed and shared with Cabinet detailing the phasing methodology.

It should be noted that any drawings accompanying the report were not an agreed design and only represented the capacity exercise. All design was subject to further necessary consultation and approval.

As consultation and engagement progresses, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic would be reviewed and checked to establish if they required changes to the proposals for the regeneration.

The financial position and the budget calculations were also subject to detailed design, consultation and due diligence. As the schemes progressed further reports would be submitted as required for further approvals.

Cabinet:

(Please note the amended recommendation 4 from that shown in the report)

1.          Approved the strategy to deliver three sites under a single design vision, the considered sites include Farnham and Hilldene district town centre District Centre, Chippenham Rd and the Abercrombie Hostel sites and the former Library site (“the Combined Scheme”) as noted in Fig 1 where the red line boundary is edged at Appendix 1.

2.          Approved the Council-led funding and direct delivery of the regeneration of Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, as detailed in paragraphs 10.16 to 10.34 of the exempt Report.

3.          Approved the Council-led funding and direct delivery of the Family Welcome Centre and Medical Centre at the Abercrombie Hostel Site as detailed in paragraphs 10.01 to 10.38 of the Report.

4.          Approvedthe closure of the existing Abercrombie Hostel prior to the development of the Family Welcome Centre and the closure of the existing Will Perrin Hostel after the development of the new Family Welcome Centre. (Amended from recommendation 4 shown in the report as agreed by Cabinet)

5.          Noted the update on the projected costs to deliver the regeneration of Chippenham Road via the existing arrangements with the Havering and Wates Regeneration LLP as detailed in paragraphs 10.01 to 10.27.

6.          Noted a HRA capital budget of £45.139 million has been included within the proposed HWR 2021/22 budget to progress the Chippenham Road scheme.

7.          Agreed to endorse and recommend the budget of £192.817 million to progress the Council-led regeneration of the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre and the Abercrombie Hostel Site, noting thatthe HRA capital programme approved by Cabinet on 17 February 2021, and ratified by Full Council on 3 March 2021, includes the necessary capital funding to progress the regeneration.

8.          Agreed to endorse and recommend the inclusion of a budget of £4.602 million to progress the regeneration of a Medical Centre at the Abercrombie Hostel Site and £17.051 million for the development of a new commercial offering on the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre within the proposed General Fund Capital programme, noting thatthe General Fund capital programme approved by Cabinet on 17 February 2021, and ratified by Full Council on 3 March 2021 includes the necessary capital funding to progress the regeneration.

9.          Agreed to delegate to the Lead Member for Housing, after consultation with the Director of Housing and Director of Regeneration, the authority to approve the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre and Chippenham Road ballot (if required) including any ballot communication plan.

10.      Noted the continuation of the extensive stakeholder engagement and consultation programme identified within the body of this report.

11.      Noted officers are in the process of preparing an executive decision seeking approval to make application to the GLA for the provision of grant funding to support the delivery of affordable homes on the Farnham and Hilldene district town centre Farnham and Hilldene district town centre and Chippenham Road. In order to accept any funding offer and enter into the necessary formal contract(s), a full cabinet report will be brought forward for consideration.

12.      Authorised the Director of Regeneration after consultation with the s151 Officer and the Director of Housing to consider the appropriation between the general fund and HRA accounts of the Council and to implement such appropriation as necessary to develop Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, Chippenham Road and Abercrombie Hostel sites.

13.      Authorised the Director of Regeneration after consultation with the S151 Officer and the Director of Housing to consider and implement the appropriation of land for planning purposes, subject to the agreement of the Secretary of State, to facilitate the development of Farnham and Hilldene district town centre, Chippenham Road and Abercrombie Sites and approve an application to the Secretary of State for appropriation under section 19(2) of the Housing Act 1985 (the precise areas of land to be appropriated to be decided).

14.      Noted that the Director of Regeneration will undertake soft market testing to establish main interest in the project and a detailed non-key decision on procurement commencement post checkpoint 1 will be provided for formal approval in line with the Constitution and Contract Procedure Rules.