This report provides an update on schemes for Battle Street, Southcote Lane and Dee Park Phase 3 and seeks relevant approvals to progress these to the next phases of development. It also provides an update on LANB delivery to date including new sites in feasibility, the new Whitley Wood Community Centre, acquisitions and the fourth round of MHCLG’s Local Authority Housing Fund programme and seeks approvals to progress these schemes including spend and budget approvals and permission to bid for Homes England grant funding.

The Committee considered a report that provided an update on the delivery of the Local Authority New Build (LANB) programme.  Attached to the report was a Confidential Financial Annex setting out financial or commercial information that had been redacted from the report.

The report explained that Policy Committee on 20 January 2025 (Minute 55 refers) had approved progression to onsite construction of LANB schemes at Hexham Road, Dwyer Road and Amethyst Lane. This included budget and spend approvals, and permission to bid for grant funding for each scheme. It was reported that the schemes were on site and expected to complete in this financial year.  Also, at that meeting approvals had been given to provide feasibility budgets to progress schemes for Battle Street, Southcote Lane and Dee Park Phase 3, including the new LEAP/LAP. The report provided a detailed update in relation to the work and requirements to progress the schemes to the next phases of development.

The report also provided an update on LANB delivery to date and the forward look including new sites in feasibility, the new Whitley Wood Community Centre, acquisitions and the fourth round of MHCLG’s Local Authority Housing Fund programme. Consideration was requested to progress these schemes, including spend and budget approvals and permission to bid for Homes England grant funding. The anticipated total cost of each scheme from 2026/27 until 2029/30 and total spend approval required for each scheme was detailed in the Confidential Financial Annex.

It was noted that the success in delivering the LANB programme had been recognised at the Local Government Chronicle awards with a Silver award in the housing category.

Resolved –

(1)           That the updated budget forecasts and associated spend approvals to progress the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme Local Authority New Build (LANB) schemes at Battle Street, Southcote Lane, LANB Acquisitions, Dee Park Phase 3 and Whitley Wood Community Centre be approved, with the anticipated total cost of each scheme from 2026/27 until 2029/30 and total spend approval required for each scheme as detailed in the Confidential Financial Annex;

(2)           That permission to bid for Homes England grant funding for all appropriate schemes within the LANB programme be approved, and that the Executive Director of Communities and Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Lead Councillor for Housing be authorised to approve the details of the bids;

(3)           That permission to progress with the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 4 and the Local Authority New Build acquisitions programme be approved;

(4)           That the Executive Director of Communities and Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, the Director of Finance and the Lead Councillor for Housing be authorised to enter into contract with relevant parties to enable delivery of the schemes set out in the report;

(5)           That the latest position on Dee Park be noted and the Executive Director of Communities and Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Director of Finance, be authorised to approve the appointment of the multi-disciplinary teams required to progress Phase 3;

(6)           That the Executive Director of Communities and Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, be authorised to enter into collateral warranties as required on all phases of the LANB programme;

(7)           That the appropriation of land required for Dee Park Phase 3 and the use of Section 203 Housing and Planning Act 2016 (HPA) as required to enable Battle Street and Dee Park Phase 3 to come forward be approved.