Agenda item

To consider the report and make any appropriate recommendations to Cabinet.

Please note that some of the Appendices are exempt and the Panel will need to move to closed session if required for consideration of that part of the report.

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The Assistant Director presented the Cabinet Report, as included in the Agenda, which provided an update on the Parkway Development Scheme and sought final approval to proceed with development.

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel.

Councillor Moriarty referred to page 237 of the Agenda and asked if this matched the housing needs assessment.  He also queried the reduction in price on the units for affordable housing to be transferred to the Housing Association.  The Assistant Director explained that the development met the Local Plan requirements for the housing split and outlined the arrangements with West Norfolk Housing Company.  It was explained that there was a need for affordable housing and delivery needed to be compliant with policy which was based on viability.  As the Council would be its own registered provider it would have the ability to control the social housing on the site.

In response to a question from Councillor Bone, it was acknowledged that these were turbulent times in the housing market, but the Council needed to plan for enough housing to be delivered to meet needs and be considerate of its obligations under the Homelessness Reduction Act.

The Chief Executive provided detail of the Housing Company and explained that its purpose was to raise the standards of homes and investment would need to be made in this respect, including environmental matters.

Councillor de Whalley asked if alternative sites had been considered due to the risk presented on this site.  The Chief Executive explained that the wider benefits of using this site were outlined in the report and there were no alternative sites in the Council’s ownership that could accommodate this development.  She acknowledged that there were challenges but there were also benefits, including assisting to address the housing need for the Borough.

Councillor Morley asked what impact a reduction or increase of the amount of homes developed on the site would have in relation to return on investment and it was explained that the affordable homes contribution was based on viability and was less that the cost of delivery and this needed to be offset as much as possible with the development of open market sale homes.  There were also significant infrastructure costs including surface water attenuation which needed to be offset against the maximum amount of homes that could be developed on the site.

Councillor Ryves addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and asked what the consequence would be if the proposal did not proceed and it was explained that there had been costs to date and the accelerated funding would likely need to be repaid.  Councillor Ryves also asked about the increase in costs and revenues and it was explained that the current costs were based on January 2022 estimates and it was acknowledged that there were fluctuations in the housing market and demand.

The Chief Executive reminded the Panel that this report sought final approval to progress with the development and it would be subject to Full Council agreement.

Councillor Hudson addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 raising concerns relating to the deficit and that the area was in a flood zone.  She stated that the area was no good for development and there was only one road leading into the estate.  She felt that the whole scheme needed to be relooked at.

Councillor Crofts explained that many parts of King’s Lynn were within a flood zone and that the application had been considered thoroughly by the Planning Committee who had approved the scheme.

Portfolio Holder Councillor Blunt asked the Panel to consider the benefit of quality affordable homes being made available for the people of West Norfolk.

RESOLVED: That the Regeneration and Development Panel support the recommendations to Cabinet as set out below:

1.    That Cabinet recommends to full Council that it approves an amendment to the Capital budget estimate from £48.367m to £54.462m, as detailed in section 9 of the report through a revised Capital Programme.

2.    That the Executive Director (Development Services), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Development & Regeneration and Monitoring Officer be given delegated authority to approve the final terms of a Project Partnering Contract (PPC) 2000 with Lovell Partnership Limited (LPL) under the Major Housing Partnership Development Management Agreement (30 April 2015) to deliver this project.

3.    That the Council shall dispose of the properties as set out in Table 1 of the report, with the affordable and private rented tenures transferred to the Council’s wholly owned subsidiaries West Norfolk Housing Company Limited (WNHC) and West Norfolk Property Limited (WNPL).

4.    That the Executive Director (Development Services), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment, the Portfolio Holder for Development & Regeneration, and the Monitoring Officer, determine the future management arrangements for the proposed wildlife and environment site to the East of the development.