Issue - meetings

Appendix 1 to the report is exempt from publication as it contains commercially confidential information (exempt under paragraph 3, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended)).

Further to Minute 10 (16 June 2020), the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development presented a report which gave an update on the Council’s Innovative Sites Programme (ISP) and proposed amendments to the original assessment criteria and disposal arrangements.

The Cabinet Member advised on the main objectives of the ISP, which focused on the development of small sites (up to 0.3 hectares) outside of Be First’s main direct delivery programme.   Key principles of the ISP were to provide new innovative and specialist housing which met the needs of vulnerable groups, encouraged community-led / small builder developments and applied innovative housing design / delivery methods.

In light of new legislation that was expected to ban leasehold sales, a new approach to the ISP was required and it was now proposed that properties developed under the ISP be for freehold disposal.  Furthermore, the assessment criteria for disposal bids had been updated to reflect the significant change in the housebuilding industry since 2020 and sites were no longer going to be marketed with planning permission.

The new ISP identified a total of 29 sites for development, split into three workstreams as shown below, with the potential of creating circa 155 new units:

·  Workstream 1 - total allocation of thirteen sites to be systematically disposed of in three phases through the GLA's portal;

·  Workstream 2 - a total allocation of four sites to be disposed in a phased approach across two tranches via the GLA’s small sites portal;

·  Workstream 3 - a total allocation of twelve sites suitable to deliver homes for various vulnerable groups.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the freehold disposal of sites within Workstream 1 of the Innovative Sites Programme, as listed under paragraph 1.14 of the report;

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Inclusive Growth to approve the inclusion (or exclusion) of sites to the ISP and allocations to the three ISP workstreams, acting on the advice of the Council’s Assets and Capital Board;

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Inclusive Growth, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, to approve the assessment criteria for schemes put forward by external organisations / groups;

(iv)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Resources, acting on the advice of the Assets and Capital Board, to approve final land values and disposals; and

(v)  Delegate authority to the Head of Legal, in consultation with the Strategic Director, Inclusive Growth, to execute all the legal agreements, contracts, and other documents on behalf of the Council in order to implement the proposals.