Agenda item

Joint report of the City Surveyor and the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Committee considered a joint report of the City Surveyor and the Director of Community & Children’s Services setting out the Housing Delivery Programme Working Group’s proposal of the adoption of an additional policy to identify other housing opportunities, as well as to resource the development of these options and commit in principle to investment in such options.

Members were reminded that the commitment made previously had been explicit in referring to 3,700 homes being delivered on City Corporation-owned land. The suggestion being made was that this policy be altered to allow for other land to be looked at, with it noted that Members should be conscious of this change in approach should they agree to proceed.

Several Members spoke to support the proposal for collaboration or partnership with other parties to be explored, noting however that each individual proposal would need to be considered on its own merits. It was also noted that the City Corporation was not a commercial housing developer and lacked the expertise to seek to operate in this fashion, with Members also observing the difficulties often associated with housing developments in London due to various planning restrictions or requirements. A Member also spoke to make clear they would oppose any proposed development on greenfield sites.

RESOLVED: That Members:-

1)    note the challenges to delivering the existing policy of 3,700 additional homes by 2025;

2)    approve the development of an additional policy and options to increase the supply of new homes beyond the use of its own sites, including:

a.    approval in principle to the allocation of resources for future investment;

b.    noting the potential and range options and opportunities set out in the report;

c.     approval of resources of up to £100,000 from City Cash to provide expertise and capacity to develop and propose costed options for delivery; and

3)    amendments to the Terms of Reference of the Housing Programme Delivery Working Group as set out in the report.