An update will be given at the meeting.

Members of the Committee considered a briefing paper that detailed the introduction of The Mayor of London’s Housing Zone Programme.

The paper explained that The Mayor of London had a responsibility for providing an overall strategic plan for housing in the capital. A key part of this was the development of new affordable housing.

The draft London Housing Strategy published in April 2014 identified the housing pressures being faced in every part of London, including the outer boroughs such as Havering.

Whilst Havering shared many characteristics with areas outside of the M25, the low density and green environment was to be treasured, it was absolutely clear that the Greater London Authority, which enacted the Mayor’s policies, and developers alike saw Havering as an area for growth. It was vital the Council played a role in guiding this growth to maximise the benefits for local people.

The draft London Housing Strategy recognised that the London Boroughs had very legitimate concerns about the character and scale of local development. The Boroughs clearly had a dual role in enabling new development opportunities to come forward whilst at the same time promoting the highest quality of new housing to meet local need.

It was welcomed that the Mayor, in the draft London Housing Strategy, was clearly in tune with Havering Council’s emphasis on high quality homes which add to the fabric of the borough and were in keeping with the locality.

The London Housing Strategy included what was arguably the most significant opportunity in a generation for London Boroughs to pro-actively participate to such a large degree in the shaping and development of their neighbourhoods through the development of new housing. This was the Housing Zone programme.

Housing Zones were areas where home building would be accelerated by close partnership working between boroughs, land owners, investors and builders. They would be a designated part of a borough in which investment could spur on the development of at least 1,000 new homes on brownfield land. The time taken to get new schemes started was recognised, but the Mayor wanted to see new homes becoming available during the 2015-18 period.

The Housing Zone Prospectus was crystal clear that a Housing Zone could only proceed where the local borough was driving the programme and was putting in its own resources, in the form of, say, land holdings, capital investment and staff time. In return, the Greater London Authority, GLA, would look to provide grant for new affordable housing, repayable loans to speed up housing delivery, investment in infrastructure and more streamlined working between the different parts of the ‘GLA family’, for instance, GLA planners and Transport for London.

The primary aim of a Housing Zone would be the maximisation of new housing supply. Resources were not available for improvement of existing council housing stock. That said, the Prospectus recognised that Housing Zones should focus on place-shaping and creating a high quality environment for new residents, thus funding will in all probability be required for schools, community facilities, transport and energy infrastructure. Resources made available by the GLA through the Housing Zones programme could contribute towards these so long as the investment directly unlocked housing supply.

Members were advised that the land identified by the GLA was that situated between the A1306 and the railway line.

The Housing Zones programme provided the Council with the opportunity to be the key driver of development in the area rather than leaving it to the market to build something dramatically out-of-step with local needs and aspirations. This is potentially important as it is known that very high density schemes had been proposed by developers in the past.

Whilst building row after row of medium and high rise flats would not be in-keeping with the local community’s needs and preferences, developing just semi-detached and detached houses alone would not be financially viable. Havering Council’s stewardship of a Housing Zone in the area would afford the Borough a higher degree of control over what was built, by whom and for whom, ensuring a mix of houses and flats, and affordable and market properties. In addition, the Council could develop and own council homes for rent.

In reply to a question from members regarding the use of previously identified contaminated land, it was believed that the Housing Zone funding could be used for social infrastructure, road improvements and decontamination of sites.

During a brief discussion Members raised concerns regarding the lack of education and medical provision in the area.

Members also had concerns regarding the lack of provision of policing, transport and leisure facilities.

Members questioned how detailed the initial bid had to be and how adaptable the use of funding was after a successful bid. Officers replied that it was important to make clear during the bidding process what infrastructure implications would need to be considered in providing the additional housing. The Mayor’s office would also be drafting a major infrastructure plan which would take into account comments from local authorities.

Members were advised that one of the major benefits of Housing Zones was that the Council would have a lot more influence of how the area would be developed rather than leaving it purely to landowners and developers.

Committee members welcomed the possible introduction of a Housing Zone in the area but felt it was important that infrastructure considerations were given a high priority when considering possible funding.