Issue - meetings

This report seeks Cabinet approval of the first BCP Council Newbuild Housing & Acquisition Strategy (CNHAS) 2021-2026. This is an ambitious strategic programme that will potentially invest £233 million into meeting local housing needs. The capital budget and funding for this delivery strategy will require specific Council approval, to be sought annually each year as part of the annual budget setting process.

The separate BCP Council Housing Strategy, which is part of the Key Policy Framework set out in Article 4 of the BCP Council Constitution will also be put before Cabinet on 29 September 2021 and full Council for consideration at its meeting in October 2021.  The CNHAS will help deliver this.

The report sets out in detail a 5-year vision, strategy, standards, specific sites and required resources for the direct delivery of appropriate new homes on BCP Council owned land, building on and scaling up in-house development activity significantly compared to the last few years.

CNHAS will deliver much needed homes for the BCP area and is a responsive strategy to: -

·       The Council’s Corporate Plan Dynamic places aim of building at least 1,000 homes on council owned land across a 5-year period of a mix of tenure types. 

·       BCP’s Housing Strategy 2021-2026 growth priorities.

The new build programme includes: -

1.    a diverse range/typology of 1300+ houses, flats, bungalows & shared unit property types on 24 BCP sites developed through a variety of procurement routes for both permanent and move-on accommodation supported by a programme of street acquisitions.

2.    a diverse range of housing tenures, predominantly affordable (up to 65%)- rent, shared ownership, discounted sale and market (at least 35%) -discounted and full rent with nominal sale units being provided-.

3.    a programme approach is adopted – projects developed in parallel rather than singularly- one after another - this helps achieve pace and scale and secure better value for money.

4.    BCP’s Housing Delivery team’s direct delivery, ensuring control and confidence, on potentially 33 BCP sites

5.    yearly Council approval of programmes of projects to ensure both an effective contribution to the diverse housing needs identified within BCP and in an efficient and timely manner for marketplace confidence.

The CNHAS builds on existing activities by purchasing up to 250 new (to BCP) units of accommodation through expanding the activities of the Homeless Housing Acquisition programme which included approved spend of £44.7M for the purchase of existing properties for homelessness (Cabinet 11/9/2018). 

This strategy seeks approval to extend this programme in line with the Seascape 5-year Strategic Plan buying additional street properties and renting them within the council and via the wholly owned company Seascape Homes and Property Limited for both permanent & move-on type accommodation Market rent & affordable tenures.  The homes will be let to homeless households, care experienced young people (CEYP) and those existing & potentially new residents, simply wanting good quality full market rental properties- enabling a long-term investment opportunity for BCP.

CNHAS allows for the purchase of additional land for development into Council ownership where appropriate,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 64

The Portfolio Holder for Homes presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'J' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was informed that this report sought Cabinet approval of the first BCP Council Newbuild Housing & Acquisition Strategy (CNHAS) 2021-2026, and that this was an ambitious strategic programme that will potentially invest £233 million into meeting local housing needs with the capital budget and funding for this delivery strategy requiring specific Council approval, to be sought annually each year as part of the annual budget setting process.

Cabinet was advised that the separate BCP Council Housing Strategy, which is part of the Key Policy Framework set out in Article 4 of the BCP Council Constitution had also been put before Cabinet today and that it would be put to full Council for consideration at its meeting in November 2021, and that The CNHAS will help deliver this.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that the report sets out in detail a 5-year vision, strategy, standards, specific sites and required resources for the direct delivery of appropriate new homes on BCP Council owned land, building on and scaling up in-house development activity significantly compared to the last few years, and that the CNHAS will deliver much needed homes for the BCP area and is a responsive strategy to: -

·       The Council’s Corporate Plan Dynamic places aim of building at least 1,000 homes on council owned land across a 5-year period of a mix of tenure types. 

·       BCP’s Housing Strategy 2021-2026 growth priorities.

The new build programme includes: -

1.    a diverse range/typology of 1300+ houses, flats, bungalows & shared unit property types on 24 BCP sites developed through a variety of procurement routes for both permanent and move-on accommodation supported by a programme of street acquisitions.

2.    a diverse range of housing tenures, predominantly affordable (up to 65%)- rent, shared ownership, discounted sale and market (at least 35%) -discounted and full rent with nominal sale units being provided-.

3.    a programme approach is adopted – projects developed in parallel rather than singularly- one after another - this helps achieve pace and scale and secure better value for money.

4.    BCP’s Housing Delivery team’s direct delivery, ensuring control and confidence, on potentially 33 BCP sites

5.    yearly Council approval of programmes of projects to ensure both an effective contribution to the diverse housing needs identified within BCP and in an efficient and timely manner for marketplace confidence.

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that the CNHAS builds on existing activities by purchasing up to 250 new (to BCP) units of accommodation through expanding the activities of the Homeless Housing Acquisition programme which included approved spend of £44.7M for the purchase of existing properties for homelessness (Cabinet 11/9/2018), and this strategy seeks approval to extend this programme in line with the Seascape 5-year Strategic Plan buying additional street properties and renting them within the council and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64