The Executive Director (Development) has submitted a report to seek project approval and delegations to progress the development of 31 affordable homes at Bertie Place. This includes delegated authority to enter into a Development Agreement with Oxford City Homes Limited (“OCHL”), operating under the name OX Place, to facilitate the development and purchase the completed homes, and approval to commence the process regarding the appropriation of land from the General Fund (“GF”) to the Housing Revenue Account (“HRA”) (changing the statutory basis on which it is held by the Council).

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Grant project approval for the build and acquisition of affordable homes developed by OCHL for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of Bertie Place;

2.    Delegate authority to the Head of Housingin consultation with the Head of Law and Governanceand the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer to enter into a Development Agreement with OCHL to facilitate the development, secure the purchase of the completed affordable homes, to be held in the HRA, and to enter into any related agreements and contracts to facilitate the development within this project approval and budget for Bertie Place.  Acquisition costs are specified in the confidential appendix; and

3.    Agree to commence the appropriation process of Site A at Bertie Place, noting the intent to take a full report to October Cabinet and subsequently to Council.

The Executive Director (Development) had submitted a report to seek approval to commence the appropriation process of Site A at Bertie Place and, subject to the completion of the statutory procedure to appropriate the land at Site A and a subsequent decision of Cabinet to appropriate the land, to seek project approval and delegations to progress the development of 31 affordable homes at Bertie Place.

An addendum to this report had been published, to clarify the recommendations contained in the main report.

The Affordable Housing Supply Corporate Lead highlighted that the proposal to commence the appropriation process represented the first stage of the process and that progression of the project would be dependent, amongst other things, on the outcome of the appropriation process as well as planning consent.  The intention was now to bring affordable housing project proposals to Cabinet at an earlier stage than previously, before planning consent had been secured, in order to improve internal contractual arrangements and bring increased certainty to the development programme.

The proposal for Bertie Place was considered to be a viable development which was relatively modest (31 homes) of which 100% would be affordable.  22 of these would be for social rent, with a property mix which would include 11 one-bedroom, 1 two-bedroom, and 10 three-bedroom houses.  This matched the housing needs profile in a number of key ways.  At c40% of private sector market rent, the social rent properties would provide housing which was much more affordable for those on the housing register.  There would also be 9 two-bedroom properties for shared ownership.

It was acknowledged that the site was complicated: the development would require the re-provision of the play area and the MUGA and improved access into and around Site B.  The Affordable Housing Supply Corporate Lead highlighted that proposals for the play area remained indicative at this stage and would be tested through the planning process; however, the current intention of the Council was to re-provide a play area which catered to a range of age groups.  It was intended to further engage the community with regard to how the play area was set out and used.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.         Agree to commence the appropriation process of Site A at Bertie Place as set out in the report, noting the intent to take a further report to October Cabinet; and

2.          Subject to the completion of the statutory procedure to appropriate the land at Site A and the subsequent decision of the Cabinet to appropriate the land, to:

(a)  Grant project approval for the build and acquisition of affordable homes developed by OCHL for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of Bertie Place; and

(b)  Delegate authority to the Head of Housing in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance and the Head of Financial Services / S151 Officer to enter into a Development Agreement with OCHL to facilitate the development, secure the purchase of the completed affordable homes, to be held in the HRA, and to enter into any related agreements and contracts to facilitate the development within this project approval and budget for Bertie Place.  Acquisition costs are specified within the confidential appendix.