Decision

That subject to the
Council approving the Revenue Budget and Capital Programme on 27
February 2025, which includes an allocation of £1.000m to
affordable housing, the Cabinet:
 

1.   
approve the inclusion of ‘Scheme 2’ within the Hotels
to Homes Programme and allocate a ‘First Stage’ budget
of £1.500m (to fund the acquisition, fees and on-costs,
demolition & clearance, and redesign of the site), funded from
the Devolution Deal grant;
 

2.   
delegate authority to the Director of Finance, in consultation with
the Director of Pride in Place and the Cabinet Member for Housing
and Finance, to agree suitable terms to acquire Scheme 2, for a
price not exceeding the value stated in Exempt Appendices 1 and 3
(subject to the satisfactory completion of all necessary due
diligence);
 

3.   
instruct the Head of Strategic Housing & Delivery to
appoint:
 

i)    
a demolition contractor (along with any associated technical
surveys, reports and required project management etc.) to clear the
site and prepare it for newbuild construction, in consultation with
the Head of Commercial Services; and
 

ii)   
a Design and Project Management Team to redesign the site for the
optimum form of affordable housing, in consultation with the Head
of Commercial Services;

4.   
that a ‘Second Stage’ cost plan to request the
necessary capital uplift to construct a scheme (taking account of
grant conditions, scheme viability and planning considerations at
that time) be presented to a future meeting of the Cabinet; and
 

5.   
that Cabinet note due to a delay by central Government on the
announcement of the next Homes England Affordable Homes Programme,
the further report requested of officers at the September 2024
Cabinet meeting must be delayed until after the 2025 Comprehensive
Spending Review (or other such time as we have suitable confidence
on the funding available to support delivery of this
programme).