Cabinet, at its meeting on 24 January 2024 (‘Brownfield Land Release Fund: Development of Small Sites for Affordable Housing’), resolved to:

2. Grant project approval to undertake the works on the basis of which BLRF 2 grant has been made available and for which budgetary provision is detailed below;

3. Recommend to Council the allocation of a £340,213 capital budget (which will be funded entirely by the BLRF2 grant) to carry out the demolition/ enabling works on each site as detailed within the BLRF2 application; and

4. Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/S151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officer to enter into agreements and contracts to facilitate the works specified within the BLRF2 application, within the allocated capital budget.

To appoint ODS for a contract sum of £317,371.27 to provide the following services for the Housing Small Sites Project:

·        Providing site survey information at all sites as instructed

·        Building Control matters

·        Demolition works at 4 sites

·        Decontamination/ remediation works

·        Grubbing out foundations and site capping

·        Fulfilling the role of Principal Contractor

·        Site protection measures/ leaving sites safe & secure

·       Other minor works necessary to fulfil the contract.

The Housing Small Sites Project encompasses the demolition/ clearance of the following 5 sites in advance of development:

- A selection of garages at Blackbird Leys, Harebell Road, Pegasus Road & Underhill Circus

- Two vacant bungalows at Leiden Road.

Grant funding from the Brownfield Land Release Fund has been awarded for 5 small sites to cover demolition and remediation works. OCC need to be in contract with ODS by 31 March to access this funding.

The decision to appoint ODS to deliver the works listed provides support to deliver this stage of the project and access grant funding.

A more standard procurement process via an open tender or framework could have been adopted.  However, this was rejected due to time constraints in the context of a tight funding deadline and in consideration of ODS’s track record on small sites and a commercially acceptable price offer which was checked by an external Quantity Surveyor to assess the commercial price.

Decision taken by Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development) in consultation with Carolyn Ploszynski, Head of Regeneration and Economy; Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services; Emma Jackman, Head of Law and Governance; Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) – Finance and Asset Management.