Agenda item

Councillor Lisa Homan stated that this was the latest report regarding the demolition of the two housing blocks, Hartopp and Lannoy Points. Since Cabinet agreed to the demolition in April, there had been extensive negotiations with tenants and leaseholders. The recommendations on  this report would allow the Council to continue with the plans.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Authorises the making of a CPO for the land edged red on Plan 1 (appendix 1) pursuant to section 17 of the Housing Act 1985, to enable the demolition of Hartopp Point, Lannoy Point and achievement of a future qualitative gain in housing stock within 10 years of the confirmation of the ‘Order’.

2.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director for the Economy, in consultation with the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic services take all necessary steps to make the CPO, pursue its confirmation by the Inspector, Secretary of State (or the Council) to implement the CPO (these steps are set out in section 4.14 of this report).

3.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director for the Economy, in consultation with the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services, to make General Vesting Declarations (GVDs) under the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 and/or to serve notices to treat and notices of entry (if required) following confirmation of the order.

4.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director for the Economy, in consultation with the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services, to issue and serve any warrants to obtain possession of property acquired by the Council following the execution of a GVD or service of a notice of entry relating to the order if it is considered appropriate to do so.

5.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director for the Economy, in consultation with the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services, to acquire third party interests in the land within the CPO either by agreement or compulsorily and up to the value of the revised budget approved as part of this report.

6.    Approves an increase in the property acquisition budget by £859,000 to ensure consistency in the offers made to acquire third party interests.  This will be funded by HRA borrowing and takes the total Property Acquisition budget to £10,676,391.

7.    Approves an additional budget of up to £250,000 to meet costs arising in preparing and presenting the Council’s case, in the event of a CPO public inquiry being required and should such inquiry take place.  This will be funded by HRA borrowing and takes the total CPO budget to £350,000.

8.    Approves an extension to Avison Young’s existing instruction in the event of an inquiry being required and that these costs will be met from the budget increase set out in 2.8. The value of the such extension is estimated at £60,000.

9.    Approves a budget of up to £250,000 to procure design services (including surveys, cost consultancy and project management) to develop feasibility stage redevelopment options for the Order land to deliver a qualitative improvement in the council’s housing stock and to enable community engagement on these options. This will be funded from HRA borrowing.