Decision

RESOLVED:

1. That the scheme for Adult, Health and Integration as set out in section 11 be given approval as follows:

Hackney Mortuary (St John’s Churchyard): Resource and spend approval of

£814k in 2023/24 is requested to increase the existing budget for the

refurbishment and remodelling works to modernise and upgrade the existing

facilities to current standards and provide additional capacity to reduce the

reliability of ‘off-site’ facilities.

1. That the scheme for Climate, Homes and Economy as set out in section

11 be given approval as follows:

Fairchilds Garden, Dalston Public Realm and Hoxton Public Realm:

Resource and spend approval is requested to fund the improvements in these three sites: £290k in 2023/24 for Fairchilds Garden, £429k in 2024/25 for Dalston Public Realm and £200k for 2024/25 for Hoxton Public Realm.

Haggerston Park Changing Places Toilet: Resource and spend approval of £47k in 2023/24 is required to reflect the grant award to meet part of the cost of the Changing Places Toilet Facility that has been installed in Haggerston Park.

Clissold House Park Toilets: Resource and spend approval of £250k in

2023/24 is requested towards the cost of refurbishing the Clissold House park toilets.

Clissold Park Old Paddling Pool: Resource and spend approval of £150k in 2023/24 is requested to deliver an alternative use for the old paddling pool site at Clissold Park.

Former Side-By-Side Site: Resource and spend approval of £300k (£150k in 2023/24 and £150k in 2024/25) is requested to fund the return of the former side by side nursery site into park use within Springfield Park.

Haggerston Park ATP Surface Replacement: Resource and spend approval of £600k (£30k in 2023/24 and £570k in 2024/25) is requested to replace the existing 3G pitch surface in Haggerston Park which is in a poor condition.

Parks and Green Spaces Green Building Fund: Resource and spend

approval of £500k (£50k in 2023/24, £150k in 2024/25 and £300k in 2025/26) is requested to fund the work to replace carbon intensive boilers in the Council’s Parks and Green Spaces Service’s buildings (primarily its depots, toilets and other ancillary buildings) with sources of heat that produce less carbon.

Parks and Green Spaces Pathway Repair Programme: Resource and spend approval of £1,000k (£250k in 2023/24, £350k in 2024/25 and £400k in 2025/26) is requested to repair and resurface a significant number of the pathways that traverse the 58 parks and green spaces in the borough.

Parks and Green Spaces Depot Refurbishment - Phase 2: Resource and spend approval of £2,500k (£150k in 2023/24, £1,050k in 2024/25 and £1,300k in 2025/26) is requested to fund the Council’s Park Depot Refurbishments Phase 2.

Play Area Phase 2 and Phase 3 Refurbishment: Resource and spend

approval of £2,500k (£580k in 2023/24, £920k in 2024/25 and £1,000k in

2025/26) is requested to fund the Phase 2 of the Park Play refurbishments in Hackney Downs, Clapton Common, Stonebridge Gardens and Well Street Common and Phase 3 refurbishment of park play areas in the borough’s parks.

1. To authorise the freehold acquisition of the residential garage at 26 Blackwell Close E5 shown for identification purposes edged red on the plan at Appendix 1 and 2.
2. To delegate authority to the Group Director Finance and Corporate Resources to agree all commercial terms relating to this acquisition.
3. To delegate authority to the Director of Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services to agree, settle and sign legal documentation to effect proposals

contained in this report and to enter into any other ancillary legal documentation as required.

REASONS FOR DECISION

1. The decisions required are necessary in order that the schemes within the Council’s approved Capital programme can be delivered and to approve the property proposals as set out in this report.
2. In most cases, resources have already been allocated to the schemes as part of the budget setting exercise but spending approval is required in order for the scheme to proceed. Where, however, resources have not previously been allocated, resource approval is requested in this report.
3. To facilitate financial management and control of the Council's finances.
4. Proposed Acquisition of 26 Blackwell Close Garage: Approval is requested

to acquire the freehold ownership of a single residential garage at 26 Blackwell

Close, Clapton Park. Acquisition of the garage will consolidate the Council’s ownership of a new housing regeneration site and secure the associated benefits.

1. This capital acquisition shall be funded from the £10m pre-development budget approved by Cabinet in December 2022 (of which £2.49m is allocated to Financial Years 2023-24) for the new Council house building programme.
2. To form the new programme, a comprehensive ‘Asset Review’ of all the Council’s housing land was undertaken, identifying fifteen ‘anchor’ locations with the potential for new Council homes. The parameters of the review – to focus on Council owned land not requiring the demolition of existing dwellings, and with no net loss of green space - generally means that land acquisition is not expected to be required.
3. That said, of the fifteen locations identified, a modest piece of land assembly is proposed at the Blackwell Close garages location in Clapton Park Estate, Kings Park. The site comprises a plot of thirty three residential garages, all but one of which is owned by the Council. The remaining garage is owned by London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q), forming part of their freehold title of the adjacent residential property at 26 Blackwell Close.
4. The garage extends out from the northern boundary of the site into the proposed development location. Whereas the remainder of the garages plot may hypothetically be able to be developed without the L&Q garage, it is highly

desirable to acquire the garage. Acquisition will enable the site extents to be rationalised and the development capacity to be optimised in an economical new building form, along with surrounding public realm improvements creating

an improved setting for existing and new residents.

1. This approach responds to the need to optimise Council housing development proposals, in the context of increasingly scarce developable Council-owned land and the increasing cost and complexity of residential construction.
2. It will also have the benefit of clarifying the public realm extent to enable high

quality, accessible and safe improvements to the areas around the anticipated

development. Particularly, proposals with a clear and rationalised site boundary

will avoid the risk of space around the remaining garage becoming magnets for

anti-social behaviour such as fly tipping, and prevent ongoing access to the garage compromising the proposed development layout.

1. This proposal supports the Council’s priorities for social housing delivery, the creation of liveable and safe neighbourhoods, and making best use of Council resources.

12 L&Q have been engaged and a price has been negotiated subject to governance by both parties. The price is £30,000 plus costs estimated in the region of £5,000. This is in the context of a housing development with clear and

tested potential to provide around 20 new homes and surrounding improvements, at an estimated total development cost in the region of £9.8m.