Decision Maker: Executive

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: December 12, 2025

Purpose: The Council has received an indicative allocation of £27, 633m of funding towards supporting initiatives to revenue the burden and use of Temporary Accommodation

Content: That   1.  Full Council be recommended to agree to the addition of Chipperfield Road Site to the Capital Programme. 2.  The submission of the Chipperfield scheme to the Local Authority Housing Fund 4 programme be approved. 3.  In principle the acceptance of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 4 funding estimated to be £27.633m, for the Chipperfield Road scheme as set out in para 4, be approved and the Assistant Director of Legal Services be authorised to sign and execute all relevant legal documents arising in connection with the acceptance of the LAHF grant including any increase in the amount secured and any ancillary legal documentation thereto. On the basis of the Council’s request for funding being approved: 4.  The addition of Chipperfield Road to the Capital Programme at a value of £71.417m be approved.  The funding will be met from at least £27.633m from LAHF (agreement to add further funding if applicable), and £43.784m from Borrowing. 5.  The submission and acceptance of any other grants that become available that either improve the scheme or reduce the Council’s contribution and resultant borrowing required be approved. 6.  The following procurement actions be approved: (i)  In principle proceed to procurement for a Multi-Disciplinary Design Team, at an estimated cost of £4m (contained within the total budget envelope for the scheme), with delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration to agree the detailed procurement strategy; (ii)  Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration to approve award of contract for the Multi-Disciplinary Design Team, noting this will not be finalised until LAHF funding is secure and will also be subject to suitable break clauses at the appropriate RIBA stages; (iii)  Subject to securing grant funding and planning applications, in principle proceed to procurement for the main Chipperfield Road Works contract at an estimated cost of £59m (the Works to include the housing development, new gymnastic centre, ancillary landscaping and other necessary works) with delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration to agree the detailed procurement strategy; (iv)  Note that the delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration set out above is subject to consultation with the Portfolio Holder, the Assistant Director Governance & Contracts, the Director of Corporate Services and the Director of Finance. 7.  The public consultation of the designs and the submission of a Planning Application – noting the indicative timeline in para 4 – be agreed, 8.  It be noted that the Council will be foregoing an estimated Capital receipt of circa £5m by developing the Chipperfield Road site. 9.  The appropriation for planning purposes of the land surplus to operational need at the Chipperfield Road site, for the purposes of Housing, shown edged red in Appendix A to this report pursuant to section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (“HPA”) be authorised. 10.  Authority be delegated to the Director of Corporate Services to sign and execute all legal documentation relating to the appropriation for Planning purposes pursuant to the HPA in relation to the Chipperfield Road site, and any ancillary legal documentation arising thereto. 11.  The cost of the planned appointment of two FTE Project Managers within the Regeneration team to support the delivery of the scheme, which is reflected in the total cost of the scheme, be approved. 12.  It be noted that this scheme will be progressed subject to a Secretary of State Direction to either a) hold the properties outside the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) or b) by Secretary of State’s Direction to allow the transfer of an appropriate sum from the General Fund to the HRA as set out in section 5.