Agenda item

Representatives from Curo will deliver a presentation to the Panel on their current and future development plans.

Victor da Cunha, Chief Executive and Louise Swain, Executive Director, Customer Services at Curo gave a presentation to the Panel. A copy of it will be available online as an appendix to the minutes and on the Panel’s Minute Book, a summary is set out below.

Our Strategy

•  New homes:

•  Increase range of products, including market sale

•  Commit to building more homes: 250 affordable homes, 250 homes for sale

•  Commit to regeneration

How far have we come?

•  Improvements to services

•  Contact Centre

•  Curo Response fleet, equipment and training

•  New neighbourhood management model

•  Welfare Reform – new services

What have we done?

•  New supply

•  173 affordable homes built in B&NES so far

•  177 affordable homes underway

•  £26m investment in B&NES on providing new homes so far

•  Acquired MoD Foxhill land

The operating environment

•  Limited public funding to support affordable homes – providers must generate subsidy through other activities.

Curo’s contribution to the vision

•  Pipeline of 1,400 new homes over next three years

•  Financial capacity for further 4,000 new homes

•  Mixture of affordable homes and homes for sale

•  Increased focus on estate regeneration

Foxhill MoD Site

•  Estimate of 700 new homes (35% social housing)

•  Critical in delivering numbers for B&NES

Foxhill Estate

•  Around 500 homes out of the 900 on the estate belong to Curo

•  Badly designed open space, shops and estate layout

•  Lack of amenities, particularly for young people

Our vision for the community

•  Integrating the MoD land, Combe Down and the Foxhill estate into one community

•  Creating a sustainable neighbourhood with new mixed tenure homes, community facilities, shops, and a range of other legacy outcomes

Community engagement

•  A Residents Regeneration Panel has been formed to become involved in the design standards, consultation process and development offer to tenants

•  Foxhill Forum – 100 invites have been sent out to businesses and local groups to become involved in the consultation process

•  Representatives from both of these groups will then sit on the Foxhill Legacy Forum alongside the Ward Councillors

Timescales

•  January – July 2014: Master planning

•  11^th / 12^th April 2014: Public Exhibition of Initial Masterplan proposals

•  11^th / 12^th July 2014: Public Exhibition of Final proposals

•  12^th / 13^th September: Public Exhibition of Planning proposals

•  October 2014: Outline Planning Application submitted to the Council

•  July 2015: Planning permission granted

•  2016 / 2017: Phase 1 complete

Councillor Steve Hedges asked if they knew at this stage how many houses per hectare would be built and the number of affordable homes that would be built on the site.

Victor da Cunha replied that the level of detail relating to houses per hectare was not known yet and would be likely to be announced as part of the public exhibition in April. He added that the anticipated split of housing on site was to be 450 for sale and 250 as social housing.

Councillor Steve Hedges commented that he was concerned about the prospect of having to build on Green Field Land in the future and said that he felt the number of houses per hectare should be 45.

Victor da Cunha replied that the intention is to make the site sustainable whilst being as bold as possible with our proposals. He added that the Council would need to hold its nerve during the planning process.

Councillor June Player asked if the provision of allotments were planned on the site.

Victor da Cunha replied that it was and formed part of the concept statement drawn up by the Council.

Councillor Rob Appleyard asked when the public would be able to see the master plan.

Victor da Cunha replied that this would be available as part of the public exhibitions planned for April & July.

Louise Swain added that the development architects had a good track record of working with the community. She added that in relation to allotment provision that the wellbeing agenda was at the heart of the development.

Councillor Hartley on behalf of the Panel thanked them both for the presentation.