Purpose

Housing Growth and Regeneration team have agreed with Thirteen Group to extend the option agreement date on the Highmoor Lane site which is parcelled in the RP Clusters Programme to allow for a period of contingency if there’s any delays encountered.

There is a risk that if the expiry date of the Option agreement is not extended, Thirteen Group will not be in a position to exercise the option before their expiry and therefore will be unable to proceed with their purchase and development of the site.

For Highmoor Lane, the below extension has been agreed.

Site

Expiry Date

Proposed Extension Date

Rationale

Highmoor Lane

30th June 2026

31st March 2027

Provide contingency period to resolve Planning matters, legal and sale negotiations.

Decision

Decision to allow Thirteen Group a period of contingency by extending the expiry dates of the Option agreements for if there’s any delays encountered gaining the granting of satisfactory Planning Permission, agreed valuations determined and disposal terms agreed by relevant boards, which are all necessary for Thirteen to exercise the Option agreements.

This decision is in the best interests to support the decision which was made at Cabinet to dispose the RP clusters sites to Thirteen Group to bring forward high quality, affordable and sustainable homes on five sites across the district. The Council’s preferred partner is Thirteen Group, who are a strategic partner of Homes England, as part of Home’s England’s programme which supports registered providers (housing associations) to deliver more affordable homes. Thirteen Group were appointed by the Council following a competitive land sale exercise.