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17 abc Public report Report to Cabinet 18 October 2005 Report of Management Board Title New Deal for Communities – Wood End, Henley Green, and Manor Farm Masterplanning 1 Purpose of the Report This report refers to the New Deal for Communities (NDC) in Wood End, Henley Green and Manor Farm, and the masterplan for the area. It details the progress made since the last report to you in April 2005, seeks your endorsement of a preferred developer, and your approval to the proposals for undertaking detailed negotiations with our partners and the preferred developer, to enable a final plan to be brought back to you and agreed. 2 Recommendations 2.1 Cabinet is recommended to: a) Endorse the selection of the Keepmoat, Bovis and Westbury consortium as the preferred developer for the NDC master plan, and the reserve developer status for those identified in the report b) Endorse the next steps outlined in section 5 c) Authorise detailed negotiations with partners including the NDC and Whitefriars Housing Group, and the preferred developer, to agree and facilitate the delivery of a final plan d) Authorise your officers to work with partners and the preferred developer, and to negotiate appropriate legal structures for the delivery of the plan as outlined in section 6 e) Agree to appoint the City Council's Director of Finance and ICT and Director of Community Services as its representatives on the proposed Partnership Project Board f) Authorise expenditure of up to £500,000 out of the existing budget allocation as outlined in paragraph 6.7, to move the proposals towards an agreed detailed plan and legal structures for delivery, in a way that secures the Council's position. g) Support the NDC in delivering their plans for an early programme of NDC funded environmental works and a combined leisure and neighbourhood centre – paragraph 5.6 h) Request that further reports are brought back before any formal commitments are made 3 Background 3.1 Cabinet will be aware that the NDC through its Board has developed a master plan for the area, which is designed to support and extend their existing programme by: • Providing a design framework for the physical environment, including housing, open spaces, community facilities, leisure facilities, roads, shops and employment • Securing major additional investment to deliver these improvements, through a partnership harnessing private investment for the benefit of the area 3.2 The objectives of the master plan are to : • Achieve comprehensive regeneration • Develop a stable community with a rebalanced mix of housing tenure • Improve the quality of life for local people and encourage those who want to stay • Attract more people to live and work in the area • Improve a range of leisure, community and employment facilities • Improve transport and environment 3.3 The essence of the proposals to achieve this are : • A 10 year programme on a phased basis • The major landowners, Whitefriars and the Council, making their land available to a developer • A major house builder, investor and developer creating a homes for sale market which will build new homes for sale, new social rented housing and infrastructure, e.g. roads, open space • The new social rented homes will be passed back to Whitefriars by the developers in return for their existing land and homes which are required for the project • The partners will ensure a balanced scheme • The NDC will resource a number of community facilities such as a leisure centre • Whitefriars will refurbish their remaining homes • The Council will use their powers to support delivery • The homes for sale, social housing, infrastructure and community facilities are effectively the benefits of these investments by the partners and the developer. 3.4 The key features of the plan include : • Major rebuilding of housing areas including much of Wood End and Manor Farm, and some parts of Henley Green • Retained and improved housing in the more recently built areas of Wood End, the bungalows on Manor Farm, and parts of Henley Green and Deedmore Road • New road links into and out of the area and better bus links • Improved green areas • A range of employment, community and leisure facilities across the area • Improved safety 2 4 Selecting a Preferred Developer 4.1 In April 2005 Cabinet agreed to: • The issuing of an invitation to short listed developers to submit outline proposals – the ISOP – inviting them to bid for the opportunity to deliver the housing and infrastructure elements of the whole scheme over a 10 year programme, requiring them to design and commit to undertaking a phase 1, together with a "framework" that will facilitate, although it can not guarantee, the delivery of all subsequent phases • The respective roles and responsibilities of each of the relevant partners • Authorise expenditure of up to £100,000 • Establish a member advisory group 4.2 The following actions have since been successfully completed on time: • Issuing of ISOP to developers in April, followed by a developer briefing day • 3 submissions received in July, followed by a presentation from each developer and visits to their schemes in August • During July, August and September a detailed technical appraisal of the developers' proposals was undertaken by specialist consultants – Robson Rhodes, WS Atkins, FPD Savills and Faithful and Gould – which examined the proposals to ensure they were deliverable. This appraisal accounted for 80% of the evaluation and covered the technical and design, financial and commercial issues of the proposals • Written questions and answers and formal interviews with each developer in September • Selection panel of eight people, including Councillor Kevin Foster and Carl Pearson, Head of Regeneration, 4 NDC Board Members and 2 Whitefriars representatives • Selection as the "preferred developer" of the Keepmoat, Westbury and Bovis consortium At each stage all partners and the community have been engaged in the process. Resident involvement has been through resident NDC Board members, and a resident monitoring group. 4.3 Submissions were received from three developers: • Bellways, Wates and Taylor Woodrow • Keepmoat, Westbury and Bovis • Lovells Each of the submissions was well prepared, considered and substantial in terms of the work put into them. They were tested through the above process and against criteria set out in the ISOP. Partners can be satisfied that the response to the invitation was positive, and provides a good basis for the delivery of a plan. As a result the selection panel were able to agree - "Preferred Developer" - Keepmoat, Westbury and Bovis "Reserves" - Bellways, Wates and Taylor Woodrow, and also Lovells 4.4 This is a key stage in the project and the successful selection of a preferred developer is a major step forward. The selection was based on their design and financial proposals, but it is important now that we work to develop a detailed set of proposals, plans, financial arrangements, legal structures, etc which together will meet the objectives of all stakeholders and can form the agreed master plan to which all partners can formally commit. 3 5 Next Steps 5.1 The masterplan is a very large, complex and long programme of housing – led regeneration for the area, and the north of the city. As a result it demands a large-scale programme of intense activity over the next 6 months or so, to move the proposals of the preferred developer, towards an agreed plan to which all partners can commit. The objective is to have a fully detailed and agreed plan with financial and legal commitment by April 2006, although the exact timing will be clearer as we move through the work plan. 5.2 Key next steps and indicative timescales include: • October 2005 – partners endorse selection of preferred developer • November 2005 - early programme of NDC environment work • Late 2005/ early 2006 - negotiations around exact content of the scheme and phase 1 - consultations with the community - reference to a planning forum meeting - negotiations around legal structures and financial details • March 2006 - planning application • March 2007 – planning approval • July 2007 - start of main programme on site 5.3 The key elements of the masterplan remain unchanged, and the key issues for the Council included in the April report to cabinet are still relevant. They include: • Community engagement • Commitment, finance and resources • Housing – the NDC area and the city • Planning and land issues • Community faclilties and regeneration 5.4 Actions and Influence The council's role in this programme will have several perspectives, which are likely to influence the actions and approvals that will ultimately be required. The key ones include – Commitments and Decisions for the Council - identified in the previous report - • Support the project as a key partner across a range of services • Make its land available within the area • Use its compulsory purchase powers to support land assembly • Deliver a leisure centre in conjunction with the NDC and their funds • Deliver a country park with resources from the project • Enter into formal contracts with partners Undertakings required from others – will include – • Formal commitment from the developer to undertake phase 1 • A framework for the entire scheme • Commitment from Whitefriars to make their land available for the project, refurbish retained homes, and undertake moves of residents within the area to an agreed programme • Commitment from NDC to fund leisure centre and environmental improvements, and undertake community engagement