Agenda item

This report provides an update on two current Housing projects at Kilburn Square; the major refurbishment of 5-90 Kilburn Square and the proposed infill development of new council homes.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)      To note the importance of the refurbishment works for the tower block and low rise maisonettes, and endorse the timeline and intention to establish a portfolio of options to support leaseholders with the payment of the recharge for the refurbishment works.

(2)      To note the increased engagement that was planned, primarily but not exclusively with residents of Kilburn Square for the proposed development, and endorse the project team to recommended changes to the designs following the outcome of engagement.

(3)      To delegate authority for the Strategic Director Community Wellbeing in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to consult with those affected by the appropriation of Kilburn Square Site, the Clinic Site or the Brondesbury Road Site, (the Sites) and to consider the results from the equality monitoring highlighted in 6.2 of the report to ensure compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty as well as the responses of the consultation and thereafter, and where relevant, to appropriate the Sites for planning purposes in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the site for which planning permission was being sought.

(4)      To delegate authority to the Strategic Director Community Wellbeing in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform to make an application to seek the Secretary of State’s consent under section 19 of the Housing Act 1985 to appropriate for another purpose (here for planning purposes in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the Sites for which Planning Permission is being sought) any part of Kilburn Square Site, the Clinic Site or the Brondesbury Road Site including any part consisting of a house or part of a house so that parts of these sites are no longer held for the purposes of Part ll of the Housing Act 1985.

(5)     To delegate authority to the Strategic Director Community Wellbeing in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to undertake the consultation pursuant to section 122 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 to consider the response to the consultation to appropriate the open space for planning purposes in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the open space for which Planning Permission was being sought.

(6)     To agree to apply section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act to override third party rights and to pay affected third parties compensation where required by statute.

Councillor Southwood, as Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform introduced the report providing an update on two current housing projects at Kilburn Square involving the major refurbishment of 5-90 Kilburn Square and proposed infill development of new council homes.

Cabinet noted the scope of work proposed as part of the Kilburn Square refurbishment programme, as detailed within section 3.13 of the report, which included works to external fabric, roofing, windows and lifts as well as fire safety works.  The current infill development proposals (as detailed within section 3.26 – 3.34 and Appendix 1 of the report) had been designed to provide 179 new homes along with an Extra Care facility and a revised landscape strategy.  In addition members noted the update provided in relation to the current status of the Kilburn Square Tenancy Management Organisation (TMO) and ongoing work to stabilise, support and work constructively with them on both schemes and in order to update the current Modular Management Agreement.

In presenting the report, Councillor Southwood also highlighted the efforts being made to consult and communicate with tenants and leaseholders on the proposals along with the challenges created by the pandemic in terms of the engagement process.  In response to resident feedback, an Independent Tenant & Leaseholder Advisor had been appointed to support the ongoing and extended engagement process.  Cabinet noted the concerns which had already been raised in relation to the potential scale of the development along with costs to leaseholders on which it was noted a range of support options were being considered.  An assurance was also provided at the meeting that whilst changes may need to be made to the design options as a result of the consultation, no final decision would be made on these until the extended consultation process had been completed.

Cabinet were supportive of the aims and objectives which the proposals had been designed to address along with the co-ordinated approach being developed in terms of the planning requirements and as a result it was RESOLVED:

(1)        To note the importance of the refurbishment works for the tower block and low rise maisonettes, and endorse the timeline and intention to establish a portfolio of options to support leaseholders with the payment of the recharge for the refurbishment works.

(2)        To note the increased engagement that was planned, primarily but not exclusively with residents of Kilburn Square for the proposed development, and endorse the project team recommending changes to the designs following the outcome of engagement.

(3)        To delegate authority for the Strategic Director Community Wellbeing in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to consult with those affected by the appropriation of Kilburn Square Site, the Clinic Site or the Brondesbury Road Site, (the Sites) and to consider the results from the equality monitoring highlighted in 6.2 of the report to ensure compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty as well as the responses of the consultation and thereafter, and where relevant, to appropriate the Sites for planning purposes in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the site for which planning permission was being sought.

(4)        To delegate authority to the Strategic Director Community Wellbeing in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform to make an application to seek the Secretary of State’s consent under section 19 of the Housing Act 1985 to appropriate for another purpose (here for planning purposes in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the Sites for which Planning Permission is being sought) any part of Kilburn Square Site, the Clinic Site or the Brondesbury Road Site including any part consisting of a house or part of a house so that parts of these sites are no longer held for the purposes of Part ll of the Housing Act 1985.

(5)    To delegate authority to the Strategic Director Community Wellbeing in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to undertake the consultation pursuant to section 122 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 to consider the response to the consultation to appropriate the open space for planning purposes in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the open space for which Planning Permission was being sought.

(6)    To agree to apply section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act to override third party rights and to pay affected third parties compensation where required by statute.