Agenda and minutes
Venue: Committee Room One - Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG. View directions
Contact: Tom Scholes-Fogg, Email: tom.scholes-fogg@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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Welcome Minutes: Cllr Blake welcomed everybody to the meeting. |
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Notes from the Last Meeting Minutes: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as a true and accurate record. |
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Tom Dollard: Report back from Applicant Meeting Minutes: Applicant’s Feedback
· Tom Dollard advised attendees of the outcome of the self-build applicant’s meeting on 21 June 2017. Tom outlined what applicants who attended the meeting wanted to build, the rough costs and some case studies.
· Tom informed the Forum that the applicants who attended the meeting were exploring establishing an organisation and looking at the route of a Community Land Trust. He said that they were going to establish a steering group until any company is established and anybody who wanted more information should speak to him, Jalal or Fleur.
· Alyssa Stanhope-Bosumpim outlined the different model types which self-build applicants could consider. She advised that 12 people live in LB Tower Hamlets, six work in the Borough, 10 people are living in the private rented sector (PRS), three are home owners and three have shared ownership. The Forum was told that three people definitely did not want an apartment. The full data is in the presentation attached. Alyssa stated that most self-build applicants were happy to wait two years before beginning any building.
· Anybody wishing to join the group or find out more information should visit www.THSBA.co.uk.
· Note: The analysis and data Tom presented was in-line with the data held by the Council.
· Tom Dollard advised that there was going to be a workshop on finance; however on preliminary investigations there were 15 households on the list had a joint income of between £15,000 and £100,000. Applicants had deposits ranging from £15,000 to £300,000.
· Rodney Barratt said somebody would be made available to advise applicants on finances for the self-build project. Rodney said some people were happy to pay market value for the land.
· Rodney acknowledged that the council has an obligation across housing including helping those in temporary accommodation and with different incomes. He said the challenge is if LBTH takes land to auction as it runs the risk of large developers with bigger budgets purchasing the land.
· Keith Hall said the land needed to be affordable and take into consideration people’s incomes. |
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Workshops on Key Outcomes from Applicant Meetings Minutes: Council Feedback
· Councillor Blake said LBTH was open to finding sites and would seek advice on the issue of discounting land but this would require internal exploration at the council. Cllr Blake said for every £250,000, TH could build a home for a homeless family, of whom there are 2000 on the waiting list.
· Martin Ling, LBTH Housing Strategy Manager, advised the Forum that the council was looking at sites with 1-5 units and 6-19 units. He said the council was also looking at sites for modular temporary accommodation, but the council was under pressure to reduce the cost. Martin stated that work was being done on Gypsies and Travellers, and a project was underway with regards to co-operative housing for ‘Elders’. Martin informed the Forum that the council was looking at land on the edge of existing estates and near garages, however LBTH also needs to maintain as much green space as possible.
· One attendee asked whether the council had used its Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to obtain these sites. Martin said officers were currently looking at the list and that the council had not used a residential CPO for a long time.
· Moshin asked when the list was updated, to which Martin advised the list is continuously being re-checked, and people can send land ideas / enquiries to Tom Scholes-Fogg to check who owns the leasehold / freehold.
· One applicant asked whether LBTH could possibly sell part of the land, or where TH holds the freehold but the applicant holds the leasehold. It was acknowledged that this was possibly an option. Another applicant stated there would need to be some scrutiny to prevent LBTH selling the freehold, without exploring the option of only selling the leasehold that could be an affordable option. |
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Date of Next Meeting and Planned Agenda Minutes: Next Meeting
· The next Forum meeting will be held on Tuesday 3rd October 2017 at 6.30-8PM at Mulberry Place, London, E14 2BG – Room: MP702, 7th Floor.
Next Steps:
1. Applicants can send land to Tom Scholes-Fogg for exploration. 2. LBTH to produce an initial list of potential self-build plots to be ready for the next meeting. 3. LBTH to invite planner to attend the next meeting. 4. Consideration for someone from a CLT to be invited. |
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Any other Business Minutes: AOB:
· There was no other business. |