Agenda item

Appendices 2 to 8 are included in Supplementary 1 in A3 colour.

Appendix 9 is contained within the exempt section of the agenda at Item 15.

Further to Minute 8 (4 August 2014), the Cabinet Member for Housing presented a report on the selection of the Barking Town Centre area as one of nine Housing Zones under the Greater London Authority’s London Housing Zones programme.

The Council’s successful bid related to 10 specific projects in and around the Town Centre which would be supported by a total of £42.3m Housing Zone funding to deliver 2,295 new homes.  Of the total funding, the Council would receive £13.122m of which £8.6m would be in the form of a non-repayable grant and the remaining £4.5m as an interest-free grant payable on completion of the respective developments.  It was noted that not all of the 10 projects were subject to additional funding and the Council’s role in each would vary from merely assessing planning applications through to leading on delivery.

The Cabinet Member referred to the 10 projects within the Housing Zone – Gascoigne West, Cambridge Road, London Road / James Street, Crown House, North Street, Kingsbridge, Abbey Sports centre, Abbey Road, London Road / North Street and Gascoigne East (Phase 1) – and advised on a further four schemes – 32-58 Ripple Road, Gurdwara Way / Whiting Avenue, Clockhouse Avenue / Broadway and land behind the Barking Enterprise Centre – which were important to the regeneration of the Town Centre but not currently identified as Housing Zone schemes.

The Cabinet Member commented that the projects were integral to the Council’s growth and regeneration ambitions and, alongside other commercial developments planned for the area, would help to attract residents that wanted to make a home in the Borough.  The Leader also referred to the programme of cultural events across the Borough which was helping to change people’s perceptions.

In response to questions raised by the Cabinet Members for Crime and Enforcement and for Environment, the Cabinet Member for Housing clarified that:

·  The Police’s Designing Out Crime team would be involved in all new development projects of 10 or more homes;

·  The planning application / approval system would ensure that disruption was minimised across the various construction sites;

·  The results of the study by Countryside Properties into how the Council and partners could support the delivery of a better and broader mix of retail, food and drink offer in the Town Centre would be shared with all Members; and

·  Consultation with residents had commenced in respect of the Gascoigne West site and every effort would be made to meet their expectations.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Agree to enter into the Overarching Borough Agreement with the Greater London Authority, forming the basis for the Housing Zone arrangements with the Council as set out in paragraph 1.9 of the report;

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Housing and Regeneration, the Chief Finance Officer and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to enter into an Intervention Agreement with the Greater London Authority for the Gascoigne West site, as shown in Appendix 4 to the report, for £4.3m grant funding and £3.5m recoverable grant, as detailed in paragraphs 2.4 to 2.7 of the report;

(iii)  Agree the principle of a comprehensive development of the Cambridge Road site, as shown in Appendix 5 to the report, in partnership with Swan New Homes as detailed in paragraphs 2.8 to 2.11 of the report, subject to a further report to Cabinet setting out the business case and seeking agreement to enter into a Development Agreement;

(iv)  Agree the principle of the Council’s land at London Road / James Street, as shown in Appendix 6 to the report, forming part of a comprehensive redevelopment and to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, the Chief Finance Officer and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to finalise the terms of the Development Agreement;

(v)  Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, the Chief Finance Officer and Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to enter into an Intervention Agreement with the Greater London Authority for the London Road / James Street site;

(vi)  Agree the principle of a comprehensive redevelopment of the Crown House site as shown in Appendix 7 to the report and, should negotiations with leaseholders not progress, authorise the use by the Council of its Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) making powers pursuant to Section 226 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) for the acquisition of the leasehold interests in the properties for the purposes of securing land needed to allow the redevelopment of the areas, as detailed in paragraphs 2.16 to 2.19 of the report;

(vii)  Authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to take all necessary steps to secure the making, confirmation and implementation of a CPO in respect of the Crown House site, including the publication and service of all Notices and the presentation of the Council’s case at any Public Inquiry;

(viii)  Agree to seek a development partner for the Crown House site with a further report to Cabinet to approve the details of any Development Agreement and Intervention Agreement with the GLA.

(ix)  Agree that officers explore the feasibility of a comprehensive redevelopment of the 32-58 Ripple Road site, as shown in Appendix 8 to the report, and report back to Cabinet with a recommended course of action;

(x)  Agree the principle of the Gurdwara Way / Whiting Avenue site, as shown as site I in Appendices 2 and 3 to the report, being developed for low cost home ownership or custom build, subject to a further report to Cabinet setting out the detail of any proposals;

(xi)  Agree that officers explore the feasibility of the Council acquiring and comprehensively redeveloping the Clockhouse Avenue / Broadway site, as shown as site K in Appendices 2 and 3 to the report, and report back to Cabinet on a recommended course of action; and

(xii)  Agree to the procurement of a partner to design, manufacture, supply and install an off-site modular mixed used development on the land behind Barking Enterprise Centre, as shown as site L in Appendix 1 to the report, on the terms set out in paragraph 2.24 of the report and with the results of the procurement reported back to Cabinet for approval.