Agenda item
Cotall Street/ Bartlett Park (CAB 098/101)
Decision:
Councillor O. Ahmed(Deputy Mayor) declared a personal interest in Agenda item 6.1 “Cotall Street/Bartlett Park”. The declaration of interest was made on the basis that the report contained recommendations relating to Poplar HARCA and Councillor Ahmed was a representative of the Authority on the governing body of Poplar HARCA.
Councillor Rania Khan declared a personal interest in Agenda item 6.1 “Cotall Street/Bartlett Park”. The declaration of interest was made on the basis that the report contained recommendations relating to Poplar HARCA and Councillor Rania Khan was a representative of the Authority on the governing body of Poplar HARCA.
Resolved:
1. That, subject to the conditions at paragraph 6.4 of the report (CAB 098/101) the Corporate Director of Development and Renewal after consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal) be authorised to negotiate terms and conditions of the disposal in accordance with the proposals in clause 6 in order that the Mayor can use his Executive powers to decide whether to proceed with the disposal of Cotall Street and land at Stainsby Road to the proposed Registered Providers; and
2 That, in the event the Mayor agrees the disposal, referred to in resolution 1. above, the Corporate Director of Development and Renewal after consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) be authorised to enter into all necessary documentation to put into effect the decision described in resolution 1 above and the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) be authorised to execute all necessary documents to implement that decision.
Action by:
CORPORATE DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT AND RENEWAL (A. DALVI)
Services Head Regeneration, Development and Renewal (C. Worby)
Housing Regeneration Manager, Major Project Development, Development and Renewal (N. McGowan).
ASSISTANT CHIEF EXECUTIVE LEGAL SERVICES (I. FREEMAN)
Minutes:
Councillor O. Ahmed(Deputy Mayor) declared a personal interest in Agenda item 6.1 “Cotall Street/Bartlett Park”. The declaration of interest was made on the basis that the report contained recommendations relating to Poplar HARCA and Councillor Ahmed was a representative of the Authority on the governing body of Poplar HARCA.
Councillor Rania Khan declared a personal interest in Agenda item 6.1 “Cotall Street/Bartlett Park”. The declaration of interest was made on the basis that the report contained recommendations relating to Poplar HARCA and Councillor Rania Khan was a representative of the Authority on the governing body of Poplar HARCA.
Councillor Rabina Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, at the request of the Mayor, in introducing the report, summarised the key points contained therein, commenting as follows:-
· The report took forward a long standing proposal to dispose of land in Cotall Street and Stainsby Road, and formed an element of wider proposals to reconfigure the local open space of Bartlett Park.
· Recently the Authority had been required to address the problem of squatters who occupied the former flats in Cotall Street, and this necessitated bringing forward the demolition of the buildings in advance of developing the proposals with the Registered Social Landlords (RSL's).
· The RSL's East Homes and the Poplar HARCA are now finalising their development models. These proposed building 150 new homes of which 50 percent would be affordable and include provision of large family units. This was in addition to homes already delivered in the locality as part of providing for the replacement of the Cotall Street .
A discussion followed, during which the proposals in the report were broadly welcomed, and which focused on the following points:-
· The Deputy Mayor:
o Formally thanked Councillor Rabina Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, for her contribution in developing the proposals contained in the report and driving these forward.
o Warmly welcomed the aspiration set out in the report that the proposed development deliver at least 50 percent affordable homes, which accorded with the priorities of the Mayor and his administration.
o Noted the key requirement for the scheme of delivering a minimum of 30 percent family housing, but considered that the aspiration in this area should be more ambitious.
· The Mayor commented that he strongly agreed with the comments made by the Deputy Mayor and he and his administration would strive to deliver on these aspirations as circumstances changed going forward.
· A Labour Group councillor, speaking with the consent of the Mayor and Cabinet:
o Commented that he was pleased to see this scheme being progressed and welcomed the aspiration that it deliver 50 percent affordable housing for which there was great need in Tower Hamlets.
o Noted the balance of intermediate and social rented accommodation within the proposals, commenting that many did not regard intermediate housing as affordable and recalling robust negotiations with the fomer Mayor of London on this issue. He considered the proposed level of intermediate accommodation to be very high, and sought clarification as to how affordable it was and the risk associated with this.
o Commented that he understood the Coalition Government was adopting a new approach to the provision of social housing including changes to security of tenure as well as rent levels and grant funding for such schemes, and sought clarification as to prescribed rent levels and how this impacted on the level of intermediate and affordable housing to be delivered, and mix of tenures proposed.
o Commented that the scheme included proposals to reconfigure Bartlett Park with housing land at Cotall Street North, next to the canal [Limehouse Cut], transferring to park/ leisure use, and this could have potential for an amenity aspect relating to water. However there was a reference within the report to Local Development Framework priorities including leisure and recreation within town centres. The nearby town centre of Chrisp Street did not have a canal and did not offer the same potential for leisure amenity relating to water; and therefore the Councillor expressed concern that over rigid application of planning frameworks might preclude opportunities, such as Cotall Street North, to optimise leisure/ park amenity within developments which were not town centre focused.
· Mr Dalvi, Corporate Director Development and Renewal, and Mr Worby, Interim Service Head Regeneration - Development and Renewal briefly clarified as follows:
o There was no new Government funding for the development of social housing and it had reduced Homes and Communities Agency grant for such schemes by 90 percent. Any social rented units would only attract £10,000 of grant support compared with the former ceiling of £125,000. For housing schemes to deliver social rented accommodation there was a need for an intermediate housing element to provide the necessary funding.
o Grant supported schemes might expect to deliver on the basis of rent being charged at 80 percent of market rent level. The housing units in this scheme would be charged above target rent but substantially below 80 percent of market rent level. Flexible tenures were not anticipated, only normal tenancies, but the details remained to be agreed with developers.
o He proposed that future reports to Cabinet regarding new housing provision for Tower Hamlets should address issues such as rent levels, grant levels, the proportion of intermediate housing.
o It had been necessary to separate leisure and housing provision within the proposals to comply with European procurement legislation. This did not preclude the Poplar HARCA funding the leisure amenity within its proposals.
· Councillor Rania Khan, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, commented that the Mayor and his administration would stand full square with vulnerable families in the community in the face of Conservative/ Liberal Democrat Government housing reforms. Many working families in the borough could not afford the target rents prescribed by this Government. Social for rent affordable homes were needed to maintain community cohesion and prevent a widening in the gap between rich and poor in the borough.
The Mayor in Moving the recommendations as set out in the report:
· Thanked Councillor Edgar for this contribution to the discussion and indicated that there had been extensive Member level debate of the need for intermediate housing and its affordability, and it was acknowledged that many people in the borough could not afford it.
· Commented that he considered it scandalous that over the past ten years the Council had allowed the perpetuation of overcrowding in the borough. There were families of 14 and 15 people living in two bedroom accommodation and he knew of families of 15 members in his own Ward of Spitalfields living in a one bedroom flat. Consequently, as Mayor he would do everything in his power to increase the supply of housing and the right sort of housing. He did not object to movement of people into the borough to live in private housing. However for those suffering health and education inequalities associated with overcrowding he would do all he could to mitigate this, including the exploration of new options such as leasebacks. And it was:-
Resolved:
1. That, subject to the conditions at paragraph 6.4 of the report (CAB 098/101) the Corporate Director of Development and Renewal after consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal) be authorised to negotiate terms and conditions of the disposal in accordance with the proposals in clause 6 in order that the Mayor can use his Executive powers to decide whether to proceed with the disposal of Cotall Street and land at Stainsby Road to the proposed Registered Providers; and
2 That, in the event the Mayor agrees the disposal, referred to in resolution 1. above, the Corporate Director of Development and Renewal after consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) be authorised to enter into all necessary documentation to put into effect the decision described in resolution 1 above and the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) be authorised to execute all necessary documents to implement that decision.
Reasons for Decisions
These are detailed in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.8 of the report (CAB 098/101)
Alternative Options Considered
These are detailed in paragraphs 4.1 to 4.4 of the report (CAB 098/101)
Supporting documents:
- Draft CAB Report Cotall St 1 mar 2011 doc (2) CAB 090311 CW0103111250pm, item 6.1 PDF 144 KB
- Cotall Street Appx 1 CAB 090311 IF0103111138am, item 6.1 PDF 44 KB
- Cotall Street Appx 2 CAB 090311 IF0103111138am, item 6.1 PDF 160 KB