Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing introduced a report on proposals associated with the potential redevelopment of land at 482 - 528 Rainham Road South, Dagenham, to provide circa 64 homes on the 0.56 hectare site.

The site currently comprised 24 homes (one or two-bedroom flats within three, four-storey buildings), occupied by 13 leaseholders and 11 Council tenants.  Initial feasibility work undertaken by Be First had identified the site as being under-utilised and suitable as a high-quality housing redevelopment given its location close to Dagenham East tube station and other regeneration activities in the immediate area, as well as the substantial investment that would be required to bring the current stock up to Decent Homes standards.  The Cabinet Member stressed, however, that while there were a range of perceived benefits associated with the redevelopment plans, the Council was very mindful of the anxiety that could be caused to the current residents as a consequence of the plans.  With that in mind, only ‘in principle’ approval was being sought from Cabinet at this stage and, subject to that approval, a comprehensive consultation exercise would be rolled out.  Those consultation plans would include building on the preliminary briefings given to Eastbrook ward councillors, who had voiced their concerns at the potential displacement of the current residents, and one-to-one engagement with the residents of the three buildings.

The Cabinet Member explained that the proposed tenure mix of the preferred option would include 29 shared ownership units, 15 Affordable Rent units and 20 London Affordable Rent (LAR) units.  The properties would be managed via the B&D Reside structure, meaning that they would be exempt from Right to Buy.  On that point, the Cabinet Member clarified that the Council had lost approximately 2/3rds of its housing stock since the Right to Buy legislation was introduced by the Conservative Government in the 1980’s and only circa 17,000 Council properties remained in the Borough. 

It was noted that the current Council tenants would have priority, under Right to Return provisions, to return to the new LAR units at comparable rent levels and the Cabinet Member also advised that officers were looking into the possibility of the leaseholder tenants being able to return into the new shared ownership units.  The Cabinet Member also referred to the projected costs and legal issues associated with the project should it go forward, including the serving of Initial Demolition Notices and the potential use by the Council of its Compulsory Purchase Order powers in respect of the leasehold properties.

Several Cabinet Members spoke in support of the proposals, citing the increase in social housing provision at affordable rent levels and the ‘place shaping’ vision for the benefit of the wider community.  It was also suggested that the Council’s Estate Renewal Programme 2015 - 2021 should be updated sooner than scheduled in order to properly reflect the latest redevelopment and regeneration options for the Borough.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve in principle the proposed redevelopment of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110