Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation.

Councillor Attridge introduce the Approval of Costs for Batch 3 Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) Schemes report which provided information on the proposed schemes, including location, property types, design and layout and projected build costs. 

The report also identified the preferred funding options and detailed the Development Scheme Assumptions against which the viability of schemes were measured and assessed.

The sites proposed, for the development of 92 new social and affordable homes were:

·         Nant y Gro, Gronant;

·         Former Council Depot, Dobshill; and

·         LlysDewi, Penyffordd (near Holywell).

The development of those sites for social and affordable housing was a strategic priority for the Council and the sites were pre-agreed for inclusion within the Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme.  It would bring the total number of properties approved by the Council to date, to 293.

The Chief Officer (Community and Enterprise) explained that Welsh Government (WG) had made the Affordable Housing Grant (AHG) available to stock retaining Local Authorities who were developing new homes from 2018/19.  Flintshire’s indicative allocation was: 2018/19 - £1.9m; and 2019/20 - £1.2m.  The grant covered up to a maximum of 58% of total scheme costs over a 30 year period.  Where required the Council would consider the use of its shared equity, shared ownership receipts and commuted sum reserves to assist with funding affordable housing through the programme, where conditions allowed.  The table in the report provided details of the projected costs for each of the proposed schemes, with the total projected Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing requirement being £9.823m.

Councillor Attridge added that the sites would require planning permission.  For the Gronant development, concerns about the proposed scheme were expressed at the Community Consultation Event, in particular road accessibility.  Those concerns were being considered by officers prior to Planning Committee consideration.  He also said that it was the Council’s commitment to provide affordable housing across Flintshire.

Councillor Shotton commented on the recent builds that had been completed in Leeswood and the Council’s commitment to provide social housing across the County.  Leeswood provided a good example of enabling local people to remain in a rural community. 

            RESOLVED:

(a)       That the development of 92 new social and affordable homes at Llys Dewi, Penyffordd, Nant y Gro, Gronant and the Former Council Depot, Dobshill be approved;

(b)       That the use of prudential borrowing to the value of £9.823m (subject to final approval and verification) to fund the proposed development of the new Council homes be approved;

(c)        That the use of Affordable Homes Grant of £1.903m and shared equity reserves, shared ownership receipts and commuted sums of £1.722m in total be approved to contribute to scheme costs; and

(d)       That the proposals by NEW Homes to develop 17 affordable properties across the three sites (subject to NEW Homes Board approval) be noted.