Purpose

This report seeks approval to
request an extension of the Initial Demolition Notices issued as
part of the Yorke Drive Estate Regeneration Project, to ensure
legal continuity on Right to Buy applications.

Decision

To support an
application to the Secretary of State to extend the time period for
the initial demolition notices served in relation to the York Drive
Regeneration Scheme.

Reasons for the decision

The justification to
extend the Initial Demolition Notices is grounded in a series of
unprecedented and complex challenges that have impacted project
progression, including the COVID-19 pandemic; the war in Ukraine;
redesign requirements; and the resolution of highways concerns
through the planning process. Extending the notices safeguards the
project’s strategic objectives, and enables the Council to
complete all final acquisitions (including the Compulsory Purchase
Order) whilst preventing the continuation of Right to Buy
applications within the Yorke Drive Regeneration zone.

Alternative options considered

It continues to be an
option not to extend the Initial Demolition Notices and allow them
to expire. This poses as a high risk to the Council should a tenant
subsequently submit a Right to Buy application due to the
timescales and costs associated with new, fragmented, Compulsory
Purchase Orders. The legal impact of this could be delays of
between 12-18 months on the project programme, leaving the Council
vulnerable to financial penalties and clauses from Lovell due to
the inability to progress the construction programme on
time.