Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet members: Councillor William Meyer

(This report contains an exempt appendix. Any discussion of this must take place at item 24 following exclusion of the public.)

(Key decision):

(1) To approve the purchase of two sites in Newhaven known as the Former Police Station, and the former fire station detailed at Appendix A to the report, either separately or together.

(2) To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing, to finalise the terms of the purchase of both sites and to sign or execute as appropriate the purchase agreements, transfers and all related documentation including the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) return.

(3) To approve in principle the development of the two sites (or either one of them if the other cannot be acquired) for Council housing within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), funded through the annual Council budget.

(4) To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing, to finalise the terms of the building contract and any related appointments and contracts. The approval to sign or execute as appropriate the building contract, the appointments and all related documentation and to start works on site will be subject to a subsequent Cabinet report

(5) To approve the acceptance of a grant from Homes England to part finance the development. To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing, to finalise the terms of and sign the Grant Agreement.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Regeneration and Planning seeking approval to the acquisition of the sites in Newhaven formally housing the Police and Fire stations for development as affordable housing.

As part of their consideration of the officer recommendations, the Cabinet noted the exempt appendix associated with this item.

Resolved (Key decision):

(1) To approve the purchase of two sites in Newhaven known as the Former Police Station, and the former fire station detailed at Appendix A to the report, either separately or together.

(2) To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing, to finalise the terms of the purchase of both sites and to sign or execute as appropriate the purchase agreements, transfers and all related documentation including the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) return.

(3) To approve in principle the development of the two sites (or either one of them if the other cannot be acquired) for Council housing within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), funded through the annual Council budget.

(4) To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing, to finalise the terms of the building contract and any related appointments and contracts. The approval to sign or execute as appropriate the building contract, the appointments and all related documentation and to start works on site will be subject to a subsequent Cabinet report

(5) To approve the acceptance of a grant from Homes England to part finance the development. To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing, to finalise the terms of and sign the Grant Agreement.

Reason for decisions:

The overarching reason for the recommendations is to maximise the Council’s ability to provide affordable housing within the District, partly through the full utilisation of receipts received from Council homes sold under the Right to Buy.