Members are requested to consider whether restrictive covenants should be lifted, rights of way and rights of access released and highway land within Breckland Council's ownership be transferred at, or below the District Valuer's recommendation of £100,000.

That the relevant restrictive covenants, rights of way and rights of access be released and the land within Breckland Council’s ownership be transferred to Flagship Housing for the provision of at least 6 new affordable housing units and the sum of £35,000 be obtained as per Flagship Housing’s proposal.

Reasons

The following reasons support Option 1:

• Enable the provision of 6 much needed affordable housing units.  Flagship has confirmed that 100% of these units will at first be let to people on the Breckland Council housing waiting list.  Flagship has confirmed that they are unable to pay anything more than £35,000, else the scheme is unviable.

• This will allow the re-development of a redundant, derelict garage block (subject to planning permission) and makes better use of sites that are presently prone to anti-social behaviour.

• Provision of energy efficient housing.

• Enables development of one new private residential unit.

• There are currently approximately 2,500 households across the entire waiting list for Breckland with approximately 550 households in the priority bands of Gold and Silver (being those in most need of re-housing).

• Flagship has indicated that they have previously found it uneconomical to proceed to development in the Breckland area as it was unviable to do so.  As a result Flagship has been developing out of the area which is not assisting the Breckland waiting list.

• An increase in Council Tax revenue and potential New Homes Bonus to support further development of this nature.

Option 1

Release the relevant restrictive covenants, rights of way and rights of access and the transfer of land within Breckland Council’s ownership to Flagship Housing for the provision of 6 new affordable housing units and obtain £35,000 as per Flagship Housing’s proposal.  In taking this option the Council foregoes £60,000 in exchange for the wider regeneration and housing supply benefits that are created in that area. 

Option 2

Release the relevant restrictive covenants, rights of way and rights of access and the transfer of land within Breckland Council’s ownership to Flagship Housing for the provision of 6 new affordable housing units for £95,000.

Option 3

To release the restrictive covenant for the rights of way and rights of access to facilitate the access to No. 8 Oaks Drive only for the sum of £35,000 and defer the request for the re-development of the garages to a later date once Flagship have secured planning permission.

Option 4

Do nothing.