Decision - Living Wage Joint Venture Business Plan

Housing & New HomesCommittee:

(1)            Note the progress with the legal documentation required to implement the Living Wage Joint Venture; and 

(2)            Note that following a successful DCLG funding award of £464,539, the capacity of Brighton and Hove Community Land Trust to deliver truly affordable housing for local people in perpetuity will be greatly enhanced. It is further enhanced by the prospect of subsequent DCLG funding towards specific schemes;

(3)            Note that in the current housing strategy the council seeks to:

·         Explore the viability of Community Land Trust and wider community housing development options when land is available with a focus on maximising the social value of new developments where appropriate.

·         Explore the use of commercial properties for co-operatives where compatible with City Plan policies.

·         Share information on development opportunities with the Community Housing Network.

(4)            Note that on the urban fringe the city plan commits to:

“further consideration  and a more detailed assessment of potential housing sites will be undertaken to inform allocations made in Part 2 of the City Plan with a particular emphasis on delivering housing to meet local needs. As part of this process, the City Council will consider how best to ensure that opportunities for community land trusts, community-led development, right to build, and housing co-operatives are brought forward/ safeguarded in order to maximise housing opportunities that meet local housing needs”

(5)            Note that Brighton and Hove Fairness Commission recommends that BHCC:

          “Offer council-owned and other publicly owned land, including sites on the city fringes, brown field sites, to housing co-operatives, self-build groups and community land trusts to develop affordable social housing with the guarantee it will go to local people. Set up a revolving fund by 2018 and an advice hub to support the work of housing co-operatives, self-build groups, community land trusts and energy co-ops.”

(6)            That Housing & New Homes committee re-affirm its commitment to community-led housing and self-build housing;

(7)            That a report be provided within 6 months to a future Housing & New Homes Committee outlining the progress with, and setting out future plans for work with community housing providers to achieve the goals noted in 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 above;

(8)            That the above report examine ways of support the council can offer in recognising the social value contribution of community land trusts and community-led housing providers, including offering re-lending BHCC PWLB loans at PWLB/ sub market rates to community-led housing providers in the context of providing urban fringe sites for not for profit providers;

(9)            That the above report should provide an update on the identification of sites for community-led housing and plans to ensure that urban fringe opportunities are fully explored with providers including consideration of sites 21a and 21c in Coldean- ensuring that the joint venture development of site 21 facilitates access and does not limit the prospects for development of site 21a as community led housing.

(10)        That, building on the successful pilot working with Bunker Co-op, exploration of scope for development of sites such as the Dunster Close garage site in Hollingdean be progressed further enhancing the capacity of cooperative partners.

(11)        Recommends the report to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee as set out at paragraphs 2.12 to 2.21.

          Policy, Resources & Growth Committee:

(12)        Agree the Business Plan in Part 2 of the report and delegate authority to the Executive Director Economy, Environment and Culture to take all steps necessary to enable and facilitate the implementation of the Business Plan;

(13)        Agree that the joint venture should seek, within the constraints of the agreed business plan, to maximise the use of photo voltaic and other energy saving measures and that plans to achieve this should be reported to Housing & New Homes committee

(14)        Authorise the disposal of Former Belgrave Site Day (South Portslade Industrial Estate), Clarendon Place, Portslade (as shown in Appendix 1) by way of long leasehold and that delegated authority be given to the Executive Director Economy, Environment and Culture, Assistant Director of Property & Design and Executive Lead Officer Strategy, Governance & Law to agree terms and execute all legal documentation necessary to dispose of the site to the LWJV;

(15)        Authorise the disposal of Land north of Varley Halls, Coldean Lane, Brighton (as shown in Appendix 2) by way of long leasehold and that delegated authority be given to the Executive Director Economy, Environment and Culture, Assistant Director of Property & Design and Executive Lead Officer Strategy, Governance & Law to agree terms and execute all legal documentation necessary to dispose of the site to the LWJV;

(16)        Authorise the disposal of Land north west of Whitehawk, Brighton (as shown in Appendix 3) by way of long leasehold and that delegated authority be given to the Executive Director Economy, Environment and Culture, Assistant Director of Property & Design and Executive Lead Officer Strategy, Governance & Law to agree terms and execute all legal documentation necessary to dispose of the site to the LWJV;

(17)        Note the value for the disposals will accord with the valuations for each of the sites assessed by Savills and set out in Part 2 of the report;

(18)        Agree the capital receipts from the disposal of these sites are used for the council’s investment into the Living Wage Joint Venture;

(19)        Approve the inclusion of loans to the Living Wage Joint Venture within the Councils Capital Investment Programme in line with agreed drawdowns approved by the Living Wage Joint Venture Board;

(20)        Agree the appointment of the council’s representatives on the Board of the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) and the Design & Build subsidiary company; and

(21)        Agree that a review be undertaken by the board into the model levels of maintenance costs after year 10 in the business model, with the outcome of this review to be reported to Housing & New Homes committee.