Purpose

Westminster Builds will acquire 35 1-bed homes for intermediate rent.

Decision

Summary of Decision

Westminster Builds (“WB”) is the trading name for the corporate entities of Westminster Housing Investments Limited (“WHIL”) and Westminster Housing Developments Limited (“WHDL”).

In December 2021, the Cabinet Members for Communities and Regeneration and Finance and Smart Cities approved the award of a contract to Wilmott Dixon for the construction of 112 homes and commercial space at 300 Harrow Road. These homes achieved practical completion on the 6th and 9th of November 2023.

The Council will provide housing management services to WHIL through a management contract. For an agreed fee, the Council will manage the tenancies and homes alongside the social rented homes retained by the Council. The estate and structure of the buildings will also be managed by WCC through the Corporate Landlord model and recharged to WHIL where necessary.

Reasons for Decision

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Renters has:

-          Approved the disposal of 35 intermediate rent homes (as defined in paragraph 5.1) at 300 Harrow Road by the Council to Westminster Housing Investments Limited (“WHIL”) for £7.8m on the terms set out in Appendix 1 of this report;

-          Delegated authority to the Executive Director of Regeneration, Economy and Planning to approve and authorise any and all legal documentation that may be required to facilitate the recommendation in 2.2.1, in one or more transactions;

-          Delegated authority to the Executive Director of Regeneration Economy and Planning to approve and to authorise the Housing Management Services Agreement, subject to agreed terms, between the Council and WHIL as set out in section 7 of this report and to approve the necessary legal documentation to be executed on the Council’s behalf thereto; and

-          Delegated authority to Executive Director of Regeneration, Economy and Planning to approve and to authorise entry into a deed of variation (or any future deeds of variation in relation to the site) by the Council as a landowner to the planning agreement to enable the intermediate housing units to be transferred to WHIL