Agenda item

Julia Hedger introduced the report giving a full update on the current housing development plan, at the end of the report it has covered some of the completed new builds that they have had over the last 18 months.

J Hedger was happy to take question.

Cllr Bassadone asked if the two units in Apsley had now been occupied.

J Hedger said yes, she understands that one is going to be an estate agency and a community café.

Cllr Griffith said that the challenge is that those units in storey street cant be let until planning permission is complete, the boulders that are blocking the road need to be removed before planning can go ahead. There is a site meeting this week to discuss this.

J Still said that they are programmed in for the end of Jan for completion.

Cllr Adeleke said that the new build is good publicity for the borough. What impact does this have on the waiting list?

J Hedger said that there are over 10,000 people on the active and deferred; we are losing homes due to the right to buy, so we are not increasing the stock we have.  Affordable housing has increased; there is a lot of works going on in the Borough.

Cllr W Wyatt-Lowe what parking provision was built in Aspen Court?

J Still said they brought that site, there is parking provision in planning and there is also a car park across the road, we can review this after 12 months.

When Aspen Court is complete there will be barriers put in place for parking, this protects the residents. Only 60% of residents that live there have cars, this is being monitored. Able House they brought planning permission for parking with the land, they have also converted another small area for parking. The same approach will be taken at Wood House.

Cllr Mahmood said that in Deaconsfield road the whole street has been developed apart from 1or 2 gardens which are council houses. Could we look at individual sites to provide 2 houses if its feasible.

J Hedger said they do look at things like that when properties are empty, it’s not cost effective but they look at every individual.

Cllr Griffith gave a suggestion, she is conscious that they haven’t brought back a formal report back for housing in Gadebridge development.

J Hedger said that they don’t have all the data and as soon as she does it will be brought to the committee.

Cllr Griffith said the committee would be interested in feedback from tenants.

Cllr Bassadone said that she had asked for feedback on this and you said all tenants where happy except one.

J Hedger said that was correct and that one person turned down the property as they felt it was too complicated.

The 9 residents have been visited and they are all happy, there bills are under £100 for the year and there has been no strictly issues.

E Brooks said that since the programme started we have completed three schemes in total, the quality of build has been excellent in terms of the very few times we are having to go back to these properties to do repairs. The Council should be reassured that yes there were issues during the development the control on site has been robust and of good quality.

Cllr Timmis asked if they planned to build more.

J Hedger said that the builds were a trial, Hightown were struggling to deliver and they had the finances to do it, it was interesting and did cost DBC more but the tenants are benefitting from it. Currently they don’t have the finances buy once this has been reviewed in a few years it will be down to Members to decide if we have the finance and the sites to do it.

Action:  None

Outcome: Report was noted.