Horsham District Council : Issue - items at meetings - Section 106 affordable housing funding for Saxon Weald

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Community and Wellbeing

RESOLVED

That the expenditure of £1,658,000 (subject to planning permission), funded from Section 106 receipts secured for new affordable housing, be approved to enable the development of 84 new affordable rented homes by Saxon Weald at:

· Blenheim Road, Horsham

· Pathfield Close, Rudgwick

· Bennetts Road, Horsham

· Page Court, Horsham

REASONS

(i) To assist the Council in achieving its target of delivering 240 affordable homes a year.

(ii) To assist Saxon Weald to deliver much needed affordable accommodation for persons in housing need on the Council’s housing register.

The Cabinet Member for Community and Wellbeing reminded Members that the Council and Saxon Weald had a longstanding record of collaborative working. This approach had, in part, enabled the Council to achieve the high number of affordable homes provided in the district year on year.

A further opportunity to maximise the number of affordable rented homes, through partnership working between the Council and Saxon Weald and utilising £1,658,000 of grant funding from Section 106 commuted sum funds, had now been identified.

This would result in Saxon Weald delivering 84 rented homes across four sites (three in Horsham and one in Rudgwick), subject to planning permission.

The Council would receive 100% initial nomination rights to the properties and 75% subsequent nomination rights to the scheme secured through a scheme specific nominations agreement.

The Community and Wellbeing Policy Development Advisory Group supported the proposal.

Members congratulated the Cabinet Member and officers on achieving such a good deal for the Council.