Issue - meetings

This item was chaired by Councillor Pounds.

Matter for Decision

The report provided a regular quarterly update on progress for the City Council’s new housing delivery and development programme.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness

      i.         Noted the continued progress on the delivery of the approved housing programme.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Assistant Director Development and a correction was made to section 5.3 on p38 of the agenda; the Fanshawe Road development should have included 39 market rent homes instead of 0.

Post meeting note from the Assistant Director Development: The St Thomas's proposals were approved at the September 2021 Housing Scrutiny Committee and were brought back to Housing Scrutiny Committee in September 2022 with a further recommendation to ‘Note the further review of budget and housing mix required to be undertaken at St Thomas Road, with a further update to be brought to the Committee as design work progresses’.

Following a regular briefing with the Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness on all development projects, including St Thomas's there was a clear steer to officers to review the St Thomas proposals because of residents’ concerns regarding open space and planning policy on open space. Officers will undertake a review of what development, if any, is possible, that keeps the current open space. This review will be brought back to Housing Scrutiny Committee in June or September for members to vote on the next steps in line with the recommendations stated in the June 2022 Housing Scrutiny Committee report. In the meantime, as stated in the March 2024 Housing Scrutiny Committee, the current proposals are on hold.

The Assistant Director Development said the following in response to Members’ questions:

i.  The design proposals for Ekin Road which were currently being consulted on were for the full redevelopment of the area with a mixed tenure scheme. The JLL report explained that consideration needed to be given not only to financial considerations but also to other benefits. The partial redevelopment option did not meet the 11 ‘critical success factors’ that the full redevelopment option would. A report on Ekin Road would be brought back to the June Housing Scrutiny Committee.

The Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness responded:

i.    In response to a question regarding whether it was possible to bring the consultation for Davy Road proposals forward; advised that it took time to review areas for redevelopment. Officers would contact residents to advise when the consultation would take place.

The Committee resolved by 6 votes to 1 with 2 abstentions to endorse the recommendation.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.