The Bromley Council Executive met to discuss and approve a proposal to utilise £27.633m of funding from the Local Authority Housing Fund 4 (LAHF4) for the Chipperfield Road development. The council agreed to add the Chipperfield Road Site to the Capital Programme, submit the Chipperfield scheme to the LAHF4 programme, and proceed with various procurement actions, including the appointment of a Multi-Disciplinary Design Team. The Executive also authorised a public consultation on the designs and submission of a planning application.

Local Authority Housing Fund - Round 4

The Executive approved recommendations related to the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 4, focusing on the redevelopment of the Chipperfield Road site. The council has been allocated £27.633m from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support permanent measures that reduce the burden and cost pressures of temporary accommodation.

The recommendations approved include:

1. Recommending to the Full Council the addition of the Chipperfield Road Site to the Capital Programme.
2. Approving the submission of the Chipperfield scheme to the Local Authority Housing Fund 4 programme.
3. Approving in principle the acceptance of the MHCLG's Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 4 funding, estimated at £27.633m, for the Chipperfield Road scheme. The Assistant Director of Legal Services is authorised to sign and execute all relevant legal documents related to the acceptance of the LAHF grant.
4. Approving the addition of Chipperfield Road to the Capital Programme at a value of £71.417m, with funding from LAHF and borrowing.
5. Approving the submission and acceptance of any other grants that become available to improve the scheme or reduce the council’s contribution.
6. Approving several procurement actions, including:
   • Proceeding to procurement for a Multi-Disciplinary Design Team, at an estimated cost of £4m.
   • Delegating authority to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration to approve the award of the contract for the Multi-Disciplinary Design Team.
   • Proceeding to procurement for the main Chipperfield Road Works contract at an estimated cost of £59m, subject to securing grant funding and planning applications.
7. Agreeing to the public consultation of the designs and the submission of a Planning Application.
8. Noting that the council will be foregoing an estimated capital receipt of circa £5m by developing the Chipperfield Road site.
9. Authorising the appropriation for planning purposes of the land surplus to operational need at the Chipperfield Road site for housing, under section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016[^2]. [^2]: Section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 gives local authorities the power to override easements and other third party rights that obstruct development.
10. Delegating authority to the Director of Corporate Services to sign and execute all legal documentation related to the appropriation for Planning purposes under the HPA for the Chipperfield Road site.
11. Approving the cost of the planned appointment of two full-time equivalent (FTE) Project Managers within the Regeneration team to support the delivery of the scheme.
12. Noting that this scheme will be progressed subject to a Secretary of State Direction to either a) hold the properties outside the Housing Revenue Account (HRA)¹ or b) by Secretary of State’s Direction to allow the transfer of an appropriate sum from the General Fund to the HRA.

Full Council is asked to approve the budget of £71.417m and add the programme to the Capital Programme.

The report HPR 2025/058 noted that the council must submit a viable scheme that meets the LAHF requirements by 19 December 2025, and achieve the following two key criteria:

• Deliver or acquire 105 homes for permanent or temporary accommodation
• Deliver or acquire 18 homes for the resettlement programme.

The report stated that:

Delivery of new homes is the preferred option, as this increases supply and ensures people can be housed in quality accommodation. Unlike grants from the GLA, this grant can be used for permanent dwellings or provision of new Temporary Accommodation. Whilst MHCLG have stated social rent is their preference, the most suitable rent tenure is also for the Local Authority to determine.

The Chipperfield Road site, a former secondary school site in St Paul's Cray, is a large housing allocation site of 2.8ha, known as 'Site 6' in the Local Plan 2019, with an allocation for 200 homes. The site currently houses Bromley Valley Gymnastic Club (BVGC), and is near St Paul's Cray Library.

The planning allocation for the site is currently being reviewed as part of the Local Plan review workstream. The report noted that the requirement to re-provide a gymnastics centre means that the housing requirement is likely to reduce.

The report stated that:

The site is complex, as the planning requirement to maintain a gymnastic club on the site, whilst delivering at least 50% affordable homes (potentially lowered to 35% under new guidance) has impacted the viability of the site. Making use of the MHCLG grant, and the way this grant is drawn down, gives the Council a greater level of flexibility that allows the Council to forward fund the gymnastic club, that would then be paid off through the rent and TA savings in the first 7-10 years.

The report also noted that the council has full maintenance responsibility for the building currently used by Bromley Valley Gymnastics Club, and in 2021, the works required to the existing building were estimated to cost in the region of £3.5m over a 10 year period.

The report stated that Bromley Valley Gymnastics Club currently pay a rent to the council of £20,400 per annum, but an initial rental assessment of a Full Repairing and Insurance Lease (FRIL) of a new build is expected to be in the region of £40-£60k per annum.

The report noted that Bromley Valley Gymnastics Club have been engaged, and are keen to see a development of the club and the wider site, which will provide the club and young people they serve sustainability.

The report included an indicative timetable for the project, with the aim to start on site in March/April 2027 and complete on site by August 2030.

The report noted that the scheme shows a positive net present value when current savings from decanting higher cost households from temporary accommodation are taken into account.

The report also outlined the legal, personnel, procurement, and property implications of the scheme, as well as its impact on transformation/policy, vulnerable adults and children, health and wellbeing, the local economy, carbon reduction/social value, and customers.