MIN10
Resolved
That Cabinet:
i. authorises the addition of the
Lettings Plan and Expenditure on Buybacks and Fees to Redevelop Alnmouth &
Portrush to the HRA Capital Programme for 2018/19. The budget to cover this
addition is £3.750m (comprising of £3.600m to cover leasehold buybacks,
homeloss payments and £0.150m for the procurement costs of appointing a
development partner). This is to be funded from £2.700m of additional capital receipts (yet to be realised), from the
outright sale of Adelaide units originally proposed for shared ownership, and
£1.050m of retained Right to Buy receipts. Until these the Adelaide receipts
have been secured, the expenditure will need to be financed from the HRA
borrowing headroom.
ii. authorises the Executive Director of
Regeneration and Housing to hold all future voids in 1-66 Portrush and 1-18
Alnmouth Courts, to be used as temporary accommodation pending the blocks
redevelopment iii.
iii. authorises
the Executive Director of Regeneration and Housing, to adopt
a local lettings plan to ring-fence void properties on the wider Golf
Links Estate for existing secure tenants in Alnmouth and Portrush who are not
pre-allocated elsewhere
iv. notes that it is part of
the Golf Links Estate, Southall programme proposed to and agreed by Cabinet on
14th November 2017, giving authority to progress to the next phase for the
development, and to agree to allocate secure tenants, and offer resident
leaseholders of Alnmouth and Portrush new units being provided at Peterhead
Court.
v. notes that a
further report recommending the appointment of a development partner will be
made once the selection process has been completed, and funding identified to
cover the project.
Reason
for Decision and Options Considered
Cabinet agreed on 14 November 2017, for 1-18
Alnmouth and 1-66 Portrush Courts to be the next phase of the regeneration of Golf Links
Estate.
Cabinet agreed a
number of recommendations, including awarding the tenants of the two blocks
decant status and to pre-allocate secure tenants in the current redevelopment
phase of Golf Links at Peterhead Court; the service of a demolition notice to
halt further right to buys; authority to prepare for a compulsory purchase
order; and the procurement of legal, design, and cost advice in order to
procure a development partner to undertake the regeneration of Alnmouth,
Portrush and individual sites.
A housing needs survey
currently near completion has identified a preference for many secure tenants
to remain on the Golf Links Estate. The redevelopment of Peterhead Court will
provide 40 rented units and 28 units for sale. This still leaves a substantial
shortfall in rented units for those residents in Alnmouth and Portrush not
qualifying for Peterhead Court. Consequently, it is recommended any voids
becoming available on the wider Golf Links Estate be ring-fenced to be made
available to qualifying residents in the two blocks, and only let to other
applicants if no qualifying residents bid.
In order to avoid the
creation of long-term voids and loss of rent income to the Council while the
two blocks are awaiting demolition, voids in Alnmouth & Portrush will be
used, where possible, as temporary accommodation.
For the avoidance of
doubt, it is recommended that there is a freeze on further permanent lettings
in Alnmouth & Portrush.
The above options
allow for the planned decanting of the two blocks of secure tenants in order to
facilitate their demolition and redevelopment. In addition, work is progressing
to acquire ten leasehold properties from two resident and eight absentee
owners.
Work is also
progressing to draw up a development brief for replacement housing on the sites
of Alnmouth and Portrush, and the associated development of three sites
occupied by garages, parking and the local area base in Fleming Road. The
funding of this work and the re-purchase of leasehold property will be paid for
by receipts from the sale of new build flats at Adelaide Wharf, and where
applicable, the use of retained right to buy receipts as outlined in the report
to Cabinet 14th November 2017.
Adelaide Wharf is a
development of 20 flats for sale being constructed by the Council in Norwood
Green, Southall, overlooking the Grand Union Canal.