Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council
Councillors:
54
Wards:
18
Committees:
22
Meetings (2025):
67
Meetings (2024):
72
Meeting
Economic, Planning and Housing Committee - Basingstoke & Dean
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Thursday, 12th October 2023
6:30 PM
Thursday, 12th October 2023
6:30 PM
End:
Thursday, 12th October 2023
10:30 PM
Thursday, 12th October 2023
10:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
12 Oct 2023
12 Oct 2023
Location:
Committee Rooms 1 & 2 - Deanes
Committee Rooms 1 & 2 - Deanes
Webcast:
Available
Available
Meeting Attendees
Officer
Director of Regeneration
Sarah Longthorpe
Expected
Council Staff
Deputy Chief Executive
Rebecca Emmett
Expected
Committee Member
Committee Member
Leader of the Labour Group
Committee Member
Chair of the Resources Committee
Reserve
Chair of the Investigating and Disciplinary and Standards Appeals Committee
Reserve
Mayor
Agenda
1
Apologies for absence and substitutions
Minutes
There were no apologies for absence or substitutions.
2
Declarations of interest
Minutes
There were no declarations of interest.
3
Urgent matters
To consider any items of business, other than those shown on this agenda and which, by reason of special circumstances to be stated at the meeting, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.
Minutes
There were no urgent matters.
4
Minutes of the meeting held on 7 and 28 September 2023
The Chair will move that the minutes of the meeting held on the 7th and 28th September 2023 will be approved at the Economic Planning Housing Committee held on the 2 November 2023.
Minutes
The Chair confirmed that the minutes of the meeting held on the 7th and 28th September 2023 would be approved at the Economic Planning Housing Committee due to be held on the 2 November 2023.
5
Options for direct delivery of housing in the Borough
Contact Officer: Fran Toomey
This report presents the Committee with the outcome of research and cross corporate working, requested by Cabinet in December 2022, following a Council motion to bring forward proposals on how the Council can become a housebuilder.
This report presents the Committee with the outcome of research and cross corporate working, requested by Cabinet in December 2022, following a Council motion to bring forward proposals on how the Council can become a housebuilder.
Attachments:
- Document Report 04 Oct 2023
- Document Appendix 1 04 Oct 2023
- Document Appendix 2 04 Oct 2023
- Document Appendix 3 04 Oct 2023
Minutes
The Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing introduced the report which presented the Committee with the outcome of research and cross corporate working, requested by Cabinet in December 2022, following a Council motion to bring forward proposals on how the Council could become a housebuilder.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Acknowledged that the report was attempting to increase the future supply and that in the past there had been a heavy reliance on the planning system.
Commented that the Council had a very good track record of housing residents in need over many years and had a good rate of delivery for affordable housing.
There was a potential for additional need in the future.
In response to a number of questions, Officers agreed to circulate the recent housing allocation report which had been discussed at the Scrutiny Committee as it contained more detailed information on the housing need within the Borough.
It was stated that the term “affordable” was a subjective view and made reference to the current Cost of Living Crisis.
It was questioned whether the council could consider purchasing existing homes in certain areas where it was difficult to build any new homes such as Tadley. The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion advised there was an existing satisfactory purchase scheme and this had been undertaken previously with the Housing Associations, but that it was an expensive option, that a diverse housing stock could be more difficult for the housing associations to maintain and that the Council had to make sure that there were not buying up the stock available for other residents but that the issue would be reviewed.
Pleased that the report had been produced as there was a real need to increase the stock available.
It was suggested that other councillors regularly log onto and view the home bid site.
Clarification was sought in relation to affordable rents. The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion responded that the rents increased over time with inflation but that the local housing allowance had been frozen for a number of years which meant that in the future, during the length of a tenancy the rent would exceed the allowance.
· Expressed disappointment that there was no reference to single people in the report. The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion highlighted the purpose of the report was to focus on options for accelerating affordable housing delivery for all housing need.
Felt that it would have been useful to have representatives from the housing Associations or developers present at the meeting in order to discuss the issues in more detail.
It was requested that Officers contact the Guinness trust to help progress the proposed affordable housing scheme in Kingsclere
Sought clarification on whether the Council could access Public Works Loan Board funding (PWLB) and if it qualified for certain preferential rates. Officers advised that the Council was unable to access the funding due to the councils investment portfolio.
Acknowledged that there would be an ongoing conversation with ward members if any potential opportunities were identified.
Stated that regeneration was an important part of the housing strategy.
The preference was to regenerate brownfield sites rather than greenfield.
Suggested the planning policy position on the percentage of affordable housing provided for new developments be reviewed.
Noted that Brook house had been included in Appendix 2 of the report twice.
Questioned how the direct delivery proposal aligned with the existing infrastructure requirements stated in the local plan when direct delivery might not influence infrastructure provision. The Cabinet Member agreed to provide a written response.
Requested the timeline for each of the delivery model options.
Stated that it was important to understand the risks involved in progressing any of the options such as ensuring best consideration and issues with land acquisition.
Highlighted the significant financial implications of pursuing certain options. The Director of Regeneration advised that if any of the options contained in the report were to be brought forward in any form then a business case would be required to review the financial implications, programme and risks which would be produced in line with the council’s decision-making process.
The Committee requested an update in a years’ time.
Resolved:The Committee:
1) Note the conclusions set out within sections 2.3.1 to 2.3.4 of the report setting out the business justifications for the Council to intervene in order to stimulate the delivery of additional new affordable housing, primarily to:
address unmet housing needs
ensure increased new delivery of homes, particularly at social rent levels
stimulate levels of housing supply and contribute towards the housing land supply
set a beacon standard of good practice in terms of design, environmental and sustainability factors
2) Note the conclusions of the high-level broad options appraisal for alternative intervention / delivery models as set out in section 3 of the report, and the ability to select the most appropriate option as sites come forward, dependant on their scale, resource requirements and strategic nature for consideration.
3) Note that in the short term a land availability assessment will be undertaken to pro-actively identify potential opportunities to expedite affordable housing delivery on Council owned sites.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Acknowledged that the report was attempting to increase the future supply and that in the past there had been a heavy reliance on the planning system.
Commented that the Council had a very good track record of housing residents in need over many years and had a good rate of delivery for affordable housing.
There was a potential for additional need in the future.
In response to a number of questions, Officers agreed to circulate the recent housing allocation report which had been discussed at the Scrutiny Committee as it contained more detailed information on the housing need within the Borough.
It was stated that the term “affordable” was a subjective view and made reference to the current Cost of Living Crisis.
It was questioned whether the council could consider purchasing existing homes in certain areas where it was difficult to build any new homes such as Tadley. The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion advised there was an existing satisfactory purchase scheme and this had been undertaken previously with the Housing Associations, but that it was an expensive option, that a diverse housing stock could be more difficult for the housing associations to maintain and that the Council had to make sure that there were not buying up the stock available for other residents but that the issue would be reviewed.
Pleased that the report had been produced as there was a real need to increase the stock available.
It was suggested that other councillors regularly log onto and view the home bid site.
Clarification was sought in relation to affordable rents. The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion responded that the rents increased over time with inflation but that the local housing allowance had been frozen for a number of years which meant that in the future, during the length of a tenancy the rent would exceed the allowance.
· Expressed disappointment that there was no reference to single people in the report. The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion highlighted the purpose of the report was to focus on options for accelerating affordable housing delivery for all housing need.
Felt that it would have been useful to have representatives from the housing Associations or developers present at the meeting in order to discuss the issues in more detail.
It was requested that Officers contact the Guinness trust to help progress the proposed affordable housing scheme in Kingsclere
Sought clarification on whether the Council could access Public Works Loan Board funding (PWLB) and if it qualified for certain preferential rates. Officers advised that the Council was unable to access the funding due to the councils investment portfolio.
Acknowledged that there would be an ongoing conversation with ward members if any potential opportunities were identified.
Stated that regeneration was an important part of the housing strategy.
The preference was to regenerate brownfield sites rather than greenfield.
Suggested the planning policy position on the percentage of affordable housing provided for new developments be reviewed.
Noted that Brook house had been included in Appendix 2 of the report twice.
Questioned how the direct delivery proposal aligned with the existing infrastructure requirements stated in the local plan when direct delivery might not influence infrastructure provision. The Cabinet Member agreed to provide a written response.
Requested the timeline for each of the delivery model options.
Stated that it was important to understand the risks involved in progressing any of the options such as ensuring best consideration and issues with land acquisition.
Highlighted the significant financial implications of pursuing certain options. The Director of Regeneration advised that if any of the options contained in the report were to be brought forward in any form then a business case would be required to review the financial implications, programme and risks which would be produced in line with the council’s decision-making process.
The Committee requested an update in a years’ time.
Resolved:The Committee:
1) Note the conclusions set out within sections 2.3.1 to 2.3.4 of the report setting out the business justifications for the Council to intervene in order to stimulate the delivery of additional new affordable housing, primarily to:
address unmet housing needs
ensure increased new delivery of homes, particularly at social rent levels
stimulate levels of housing supply and contribute towards the housing land supply
set a beacon standard of good practice in terms of design, environmental and sustainability factors
2) Note the conclusions of the high-level broad options appraisal for alternative intervention / delivery models as set out in section 3 of the report, and the ability to select the most appropriate option as sites come forward, dependant on their scale, resource requirements and strategic nature for consideration.
3) Note that in the short term a land availability assessment will be undertaken to pro-actively identify potential opportunities to expedite affordable housing delivery on Council owned sites.
6
Review of work programme
The Committee is asked to note and review its Work Programme and to receive updates from the Lead Members of Task and Finish Groups.
Attachments:
- Document EPH Committee Work Plan 04 Oct 2023
Minutes
The Chair introduced the work programme and gave a brief overview of the items that would be included on the agenda for the upcoming meetings.
It was suggested that the local plan policies supporting regulation 18 be brought to the November meeting. The Regeneration Director responded that she would discuss the issue with Officers as there was a short timescale for publishing the papers for the next committee meeting.
The Chair advised the Committee that the Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement 22/23 and the Authority Monitoring Report for Planning 22/23 would be brought to the January Meeting.
It was suggested that the local plan policies supporting regulation 18 be brought to the November meeting. The Regeneration Director responded that she would discuss the issue with Officers as there was a short timescale for publishing the papers for the next committee meeting.
The Chair advised the Committee that the Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement 22/23 and the Authority Monitoring Report for Planning 22/23 would be brought to the January Meeting.
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