Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Helen Brown introduced the Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) report which sought approval to progress the next key stages of the Council’s Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) and set out proposals to develop Council housing at the following sites:

·         Ysgol Delyn, Mold;

·         Heol y Goron, Leeswood;

·         Maes Y Meilion, Leeswood;

·         Redhall, Connah’s Quay; and

·         The Dairy, Connah’s Quay.

The report provided detailed information on each proposed scheme, including location, proposed property types, design and layout and projected build costs.  Prudential borrowing was also identified as the preferred funding option.

The Service Manager - Housing Programmes explained that properties and land associated with each property would be designed to comply with the Council’s Flintshire House Standard.  A Local Lettings Policy would be developed for each of the proposed schemes to ensure the opportunities to house local people were maximised.

Future housing schemes at Melrose Centre, Aston; The Police Station, Flint; and Maes Gwern, Mold would be presented to Cabinet in September 2016 for approval.

Members welcomed the report of the flagship scheme.  Members also commented on the importance of the new grant funding regime being developed by WG known as Housing Finance Grant II (HFG II) which would provide access to grant and loan funding to support new developments for Local Authorities in the same way that Housing Associations did through the Social Housing Grant (SHG).  

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the development of 40 new Council homes on the 5 identified sites in Mold, Leeswood and Connah’s Quay at a projected total cost of £6,376,931M be approved; and

(b)       That prudential borrowing to the value of £6,376,931M (subject to final approval and verification) be approved to be used to fund the proposed development of 40 new Council homes.