Issue - meetings

The Panel will receive an update on Housing Growth which was originally presented to the Scrutiny Panel in July 2023.

Contact:  Liz Jefferson, Strategic Partnership Lead, Housing Growth Tel: 01484 221000

Cllr Graham Turner, Portfolio holder for Growth and Regeneration, introduced the item, advising that, there would be a presentation to the Panel, which would provide a progress update on the housing growth programme.  He explained that the  information aimed to show the positive aspects, and that officers should be thanked for delivering many positive projects, in very challenging times.

Liz Jefferson, Strategic Partnership Lead, referring to the presentation advised the Panel that the update would cover projects that span the following programmes:

•          Strategic Allocations

•          Accelerated Construction delivery

•          Specialist and Supported Housing

•          Affordable Housing

•          Registered Providers programme

•          Brokerage service

•          Pipeline sites

The Panel was informed that in terms of important context, nothing that is delivered in housing growth is done in isolation, and is undertaken collaboratively working with many external and internal partners.  For example, funding bodies, housing associations and consultants who support this work, as well as a wide range of teams across the Council.  This partnership approach is at the heart of everything that is undertaken and is dependent on the resources of both internal and external teams to help deliver housing.

The Panel was provided with an outline of the following projects:

Dewsbury Riverside

The Panel was informed that the strategic site at Dewsbury Riverside, is the largest housing allocation in Kirklees and is a key site in the West Yorkshire Strategic place, partnership priorities and there are multiple landowners on this site.  Key milestones achieved in the last year include:

-        the new allotments have been finished and work is being undertaken with capital delivery, external partners AHR and Casey, and that site opened in May 2023

-        Communities colleagues presented work on Dewsbury Riverside as an exemplar at Homes England national community engagement training in July

-        In August 2023, planning permission was granted to create a main access road and deliver the first 350 homes

-        Joint working with Homes England, has allowed the undertaking of due diligence, infrastructure costing viability work, master planning, a build to rent market assessment and master developer audit reports

-        In November 2023, Cabinet gave approval to enter into legal agreements with Homes England and Network Rail to undertake an appropriate procurement route for master developer

-        Strategic highways work is ongoing to understand the cumulative impact on the highways network and legal advice has been commissioned to inform collaboration and equalisation principles and the appointment of a master developer

Bradley Park

The Panel was informed that the next strategic site is at Bradley Park. This is also a local plan housing allocation, mostly in Council ownership, and the overall allocation is 68 hectares. £800,000 of capital funding has been secured, which was approved by Cabinet to help progress the site. 

Currently being undertaken is detailed highways work on the feasibility of delivering key junctions and discussions has commenced on strategic property acquisitions to help support that highways work. Procurement documents have been drafted and legal advice has been secured.

Ashbrow /  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6