Shrewsbury & Atcham
Borough Council

Minute Number and Matter

Councillor Barker

Minute 06/09 – Affordable Housing Programme Update – Personal interest as he was a board member of Severnside Housing.

Councillor Durnell

Minute 06/09 – Affordable Housing Programme Update – Personal interest as he was a board member of Severnside Housing.

Agenda Item

Minute/Action

Action to be taken by:

05/09

GROWTH POINT MONEY UPDATE

(Councillor Barker and Councillor Price spoke on this item).

Consideration was given to a report of the Growth Point Manager providing background information on the purpose of Growth Point funding for Shrewsbury.

Mr Lawrence advised members that Growth Point monies would provide supplementary funding for new housing, new employment opportunities, transport infrastructure, education, skills and health and wellbeing.

It was envisaged that the work being undertaken by Growth Point would enable Shrewsbury to become a prosperous sub-region of the West Midlands by 2026.

Members were advised that over the past four months the following projects had been progressed:

• Demolition of the Arlington Way site;

• Funding assistance with Moston Road development;

• Resolving the funding gap for Ellesmere Grange project;

• Moving the Ditherington Flaxmill project forward; and

• Continued working on the Northern Corridor.

The Portfolio for Planning, Councillor Barker, advised members that the Growth Point Board had been set up 12 months ago as an interim measure to oversee project spend and that Councillors Barker and Price had been appointed to sit as member representatives. Councillor Barker advised members that Growth Point was not just a facilitator for housing, but also for infrastructure and employment development.

A discussion ensued on the funding strings required to improve employment opportunities as well as the housing market within Shrewsbury. Councillor Price warned that any proposals had to be kept in proportion with the funding available and that the Growth Point would only be able to supplement existing projects in order to improve the area for local communities.

Mr Lawrance updated members on future funding coming through the regions:

• Regional Funding Allocations and Impact Investment Location

It was noted that Shrewsbury had not been included initially as an Impact Investment Location, but officers had submitted a proforma to ensure their inclusion in this funding provision. Members were advised that this had been successful and this would in turn enable the Council to draw down significant funding from the region in the future.

Members requested that a press release be issued to promote the funding success and the work undertaken by officers in achieving this success.

Councillor Price reported that using the available funding for facilitating housing growth was seen as an important step forward in getting the housing market moving in the current economic climate. Concern was raised by members that developers may assuming that the fund would be used to cover development infrastructure. Members were reassured that this would not be the case and the monies would only be used in line with guidance.

Concern was raised that due to the current housing market the only developments being progressed were those relating to the affordable housing sector which would leaving large gaps in developments where open market housing had been proposed. Members concluded that developments of this type needed to be monitored carefully to ensure that there wasn't a negative impact on the development as a whole. Councillor Price recognised members concerns and advised that no decisions had been made on amendments to existing planning polices, but that all members would be kept informed.

In response to a question raised, Mr Lawrance stated that progress on the North West relief road was ongoing. It was noted that the Growth Point would assess what the economic drivers would be and provide front loading projects, which would improve the prospect of regional funding being awarded to the scheme.

The Assistant Council Manager reminded members that it had been a real coup for the Council to have been awarded Impact Investment Location status as this would encourage major funders, such as Advantage West Midlands, to invest in Shrewsbury.

The Chairman thanked Councillors Barker and Price and Mr Lawrence for their attendance and assistance during the deliberations of the item.

Assistant Council Manager/ Growth Point Manager/ Committee Services Officer

That the following recommendation be made to Cabinet:

1. That the views of Overview Committee be endorsed.

2. That Council recognises the work undertaken by officers involved in the work carried out to achieve Impact Investment Location status.

Committee Services Officer

06/09

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMME UPDATE

(Councillor Barker and Councillor Price spoke on this item)

Consideration was given to a report of the Housing Manager on the Affordable Housing Programme Update and the schemes identified within the report.

The Portfolio for Housing, Councillor Price, requested that members considered the implications of amending the current planning policy in respect of pepper potting developments as projects were not moving forward due to the current economic climate.

A discussion ensued and members stated that mixed developments were the most appropriate way forward. Concern was raised over the build style of affordable housing and it was noted that developers must ensure that the appearance of affordable housing mirrored that of open market properties as this would help lift the area and remove the stigma that affordable housing was a lesser property.

The Portfolio Holder agreed that the integration of properties within a development was essential, but reminded members that there would be issues with endorsing these gappy projects until the market picked up.

The Housing Manager advised members that at the present time the average house price for this area was £200,000 which was over 10 times the average salary and this situation was unlikely to change dramatically in the near future. Mr Wood explained that developers had to provide affordable housing through their own funds and would have used the profits from the open market housing to subsidise the affordable housing builds and this was why no development was taking place within the current economic market.

It was noted that grant funding had been offered to developers and that social housing was now being built but it did raise issues with site densities.

The Assistant Council Manager (Town Clerk) reported that during the building boom larger development sites were being targeted but developers were unable to move these forward at the present time. Mr Goldsmith suggested that now may be the time to look at developing smaller sites as we could now compete with the open market for land prices. It was noted that this was a new way of working that could help address the Borough Council's affordable development obligations.

A discussion ensued on the schemes identified within the report and the viability of using prefabricated building materials in future developments. The Housing Manager stated that this was an interesting idea and may be explored further in the future.

That the following recommendation be made to Cabinet:

That Council endorse the work being undertaken in respect of Affordable Housing within the borough and request that it continue under the new authority.

07/09

CONCESSIONARY RATE TICKETS

Consideration was given to the information provided by the Cultural Services Manager in respect of concessionary rates for Theatre Severn and The Old Market Hall.

A discussion ensued on the proposed provision for Passport to Leisure holders and further information was requested on a national scheme to enable young people to attend theatres around the country free of charge.

Committee Services Officer

That the matter in respect of concessionary rate tickets for the Theatre Severn and The Old Market Hall be noted.

08/09

WORK PROGRAMME

Consideration was given to the Committee's Work Programme setting out the business for the Committee until March 2009.

That the Work Programme be noted.