Issue - meetings

To consider the following Motion referred by the Council to the Homes Policy Development Group:

“That as MDDC owns the land at Station Yard that we investigate and develop this land for our own local Council housing needs. This would help the extreme housing needs of our local residents as the cost of any houses built would be reduced by having no land purchase cost involved.

That our MP be kept informed in order to support this motion.”

Please note: Having considered the above Motion the Policy Development Group are asked to consider whether this Motion should either be supported or rejected. This decision will be referred back to full Council on 22 February 2017.

The following Motion had been referred by the Council to the Homes Policy Development Group for its consideration.

Motion 531 (Councillor T W Snow)

 “That as MDDC owns the land at Station Yard that we investigate and develop this land for our own local Council housing needs. This would help the extreme housing needs of our local residents as the cost of any houses built would be reduced by having no land purchase cost involved.

That our MP be kept informed in order to support this motion.”

Cllr T W Snow had been invited to the meeting to speak to his Motion. He stated that the biggest cost of any housing development was the land. The Council could potentially build here and house some of the Syrian families being discussed later in the agenda. The site was in a prime location being in the centre of town and in his opinion maintenance would cost next to nothing. He requested that the Council develop this land to help local people and to not just take profit into account.

The Head of Housing and Property Services stated that officers were not currently considering this land as a potential site for development due to the fact that it was contaminated land and classed as B8, meaning that it was for general industrial storage only. He stated that the amount of infrastructure works needed would be considerable and would also be subject to a planning decision. There were other sites that were more advantageous.

Discussed took place regarding:

·         Whether any initial outlay might be able to be recouped through rental income in the long term. Rental income would go to the Housing Revenue Account if developed by the HRA.

·         How difficult it would be to get a change of use from a brown field site to a housing development site and the potential costs involved in doing this.

Following discussion thereon Cllr T W Snow AGREED to amend the wording of his Motion to state the following:

“That as MDDC owns the land at Station Yard that we investigate and consider developing this land, taking all matters into consideration, for our own local Council housing needs. This would help the extreme housing needs of our local residents as the cost of any houses built would be reduced by having no land purchase cost involved.

That our MP be kept informed in order to support this motion.”

(Proposed by Cllr F W Letch and seconded by Cllr D R Coren)