Issue - meetings

Report of Councillor N Barker, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance

RESOLVED –

(1)      That it be agreed to progress with the essential works required on the site at Whiteleas Avenue, North Wingfield under a Section 278 (S278) agreement with Derbyshire County Council (DCC).

(2)      That the approval of additional borrowing of £0.849k for the essential works under the S278 agreement, be recommended to Council.

(3)      That the inclusion of the changes to the scheme in the HRA Capital Programme, be recommended to Council.

Cabinet considered a report which provided an update on the housing development at Whiteleas Avenue, North Wingfield.

The report stated that part of the planning approval for the 70 new mixed tenure homes which were being built on Council owned land at Whiteleas Avenue, North Wingfield, was to agree the required highways agreement known as a S278 agreement.  The original budget had included an allowance for S278 works, however once construction was underway it was discovered that Whiteleas Avenue was in a poorer state of repair than originally thought and the road condition had deteriorated very quickly. 

The scale of the work along with the technical specifications required to improve the road conditions under the S278 agreement had now been agreed with Derbyshire County Council, meaning work could commence.  The additional works had been priced and independently verified at a cost of £0.849m.  This could not be contained within the original budget, so an increase was required which would be funded by additional borrowing.

RESOLVED –

(1)      That it be agreed to progress with the essential works required on the site at Whiteleas Avenue, North Wingfield under a Section 278 (S278) agreement with Derbyshire County Council (DCC).

(2)      That the approval of additional borrowing of £0.849m for the essential works under the S278 agreement, be recommended to Council.

(3)      That the inclusion of the changes to the scheme in the HRA Capital Programme, be recommended to Council.

REASONS FOR DECISION – The housing scheme at Whiteleas Avenue, North Wingfield supports the Council’s commitment in its Council Plan to build, acquire and facilitate the delivery of more high-quality social housing for rent in the district.  The additional funding was required to allow completion of the site.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – There was no alternative to completing the S278 works which were essential to the completion of the development. The option to delivery within the existing envelope was rejected as the S278 works must be completed to allow the majority of the development to be completed so the scheme would have to be a modified, reducing the number of homes on the site.