The Chief Officer Delegated Decisions meeting, scheduled for Wednesday 20 March 2024, was set to consider a variation to an agreement for leases concerning affordable housing at Syon Lane. This decision was made by Phil Cresswell, Executive Director of Regeneration, Housing and Environmental Services.

Syon Lane - Variation to Agreement for Leases 2024

The meeting's agenda included a report on DDN 1365, concerning a variation to the agreement for leases for affordable housing at the former Homebase site on Syon Lane, Isleworth. This development is intended to provide 164 homes as part of the London Borough of Hounslow's House Building Programme.

The report indicated that a Deed of Variation (DoV) was proposed to supplement an existing agreement for leases dated 23 November 2021, and a previous Deed of Variation from 29 March 2023. The need for this further variation arose due to delays in the planning application process, which included a public inquiry called in by the Secretary of State. These delays meant that the original agreement's longstop dates needed to be extended.

Furthermore, new building safety legislation, requiring residential buildings over 30 metres high to have two staircases, has been introduced since the original contract was agreed. These changes necessitate adjustments to the building design.

The proposed variation aims to:

• Extend the First Long Stop Date from 31 March 2024 to 31 March 2025.
• Extend the Second Long Stop Date from 31 August 2024 to 31 August 2025.

The report highlighted that if the contract were to fall aside, the Council could lose the opportunity to secure these 164 homes, and replacement housing in 2024 would likely incur significant increases in building costs due to inflation. It also noted potential reputational damage to the Council as a developer.

The decision was considered to align with the Council's commitment to providing high-quality council housing and meeting residents' housing needs. The report stated that the decision was not considered to have any adverse impact on individuals with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. Councillor Tom Bruce, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development, was consulted on the matter.

The report also included comments from the Chief Financial Officer, Christine Holland, Head of Strategic Finance, who noted that the decision would facilitate the delivery of affordable units within a legally effective contract at no additional cost to the Housing Revenue Account. The Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer, Rachel McKoy, confirmed that the variation was necessary to keep the contract legally effective and protect the Council from wasted costs. The decision was not classified as a key decision.

The report pack was made available to attendees as part of the Public reports pack Wednesday 20-Mar-2024 12.00 Chief Officer Delegated Decisions expired in Jan.pdf. The meeting agenda was published in the Agenda frontsheet Wednesday 20-Mar-2024 12.00 Chief Officer Delegated Decisions expired in Janua.pdf.