Issue - meetings

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that Scrutiny Committee comment on the proposals within the attached cabinet report, ref CAB3565, which is to be considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 25 August 2026.

NOTE

This report contains an exempt appendix (Appendix 1), if members wish to discuss any part of this exempt appendix, then the procedure under agenda item 6a (below) applies.

The Chairperson invited the members of the public and visiting councillors to address the committee, and a summary of their comments were as follows.

1. Ian Tait addressed the committee. He supported the proposals but questioned the provision of limited parking, suggesting that city centre residents could live without cars. He noted local opposition and emphasised the need for community and ward councillor support, referencing past failed schemes and questioned whether the council should manage the project or seek alternative delivery routes.

2. Lin Mellish addressed the committee. She expressed a preference for council housing with social rents rather than affordable housing, noting that the original intention was for council homes. She stated that the lack of parking would make the homes difficult to let due to unreliable public transport and suggested that displaced vehicles would increase traffic, concluding that whilst she wants homes, we need car parks and this the car park should remain.

3. Councillor Stephen Godfrey addressed the committee. He highlighted three risks: the potential for cost overruns on the design budget making the homes unaffordable, the displacement of current car park users and the lack of alternative spaces, and the risk of flooding on the site, noting a previous failure to build a school there for that reason.

4. Councillor Danny Lee addressed the committee. He supported the use of the brownfield site for affordable housing but questioned the financial assumptions, asking for quantified evidence regarding displaced parking revenue. He sought clarification on the uncommitted balance of Section 106 affordable housing funds, the actual available and eligible funds, whether the expenditure would be released in stages, the value for money of the design and build contract, and the risk of abortive expenditure given Local Government Reorganisation and suggested to accelerate the project or provide an additional gateway decision point in order to minimise this risk.

Councillor Mark Reach, Cabinet Member for Good Homes introduced the report, ref CAB3565, which set out proposals regarding expenditure for professional fees to develop the scheme. The introduction included the following points:

1. The report sought a capital expenditure of £480,000 for professional fees to develop the scheme, which contributed to the target of 1,000 affordable homes by 2032.
2. The site was included in the Local Plan for housing, and the current proposal aimed to deliver approximately 44 homes, consisting of one and two-bedroom flats and three-bedroom townhouses.
3. The site was sustainable, though groundwater and flood risks required assessment during the pre-planning stage.
4. The reduction of city centre parking aligned with council strategy, and alternative parking provision was available nearby and at park and ride sites.
5. The tenure type was yet to be finalised, but he believed that there was an opportunity to deliver social housing and shared ownership units.

The Chairperson suggested that the Committee consider the following points during discussion on the item:

1. That the principle of residential development on the site was established through the adopted Local Plan.
2. That the committee was not being asked to approve construction, but rather to scrutinise the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6