Decision details

To approve the HSDP Overarching Business Plan, to approve the Byron Quarter Phase Business Plan and to approve the Poets Phase Business Plan subject to the incorporation of the agreed changes. To delegate the authority to Corporate Director of Place in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning to approve the final form of the Poets Phase Business Plan following incorporation of the agreed changes. 

Having received a tabled reference from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the previous evening and considered the confidential appendices, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)           the progress on the core sites against the Initial Business Plan in August 2021 be noted and the forward looking activities set out in the new Overarching Business Plan at appendix 2c and 3c in December 2023 be noted;

(2)           the Corporate Director of Place, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, be authorised to enter any appropriate contract documents and take necessary actions to enable the delivery of the activities set out in the Overarching and Phase Business Plans over the next 12 months as set out in Appendix 2c and 3c to those plans;

(3)           the Overarching Business Plan of the HSDP be approved;

(4)           the HSDP be authorised to spend a maximum of £1.54m on Byron Quarter (Phase 1) Phase Business Plan over the next 12 months (from the date of the Cabinet meeting) (50% being the council’s liability);

(5)           the HSDP be authorised to spend a maximum of £2.24m on Poets Corner (Phase 1) Phase Business Plan over the next 12 months (from the date of the Cabinet meeting) (50% being the council’s liability);

(6)           the Corporate Director of Place, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning, be authorised to determine the satisfaction of planning gateways 1 and 2, to allow the project to proceed in accordance with Poets Corner (Phase 1) Phase Business Plan;

(7)           the Director of Finance and Assurance, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Human Resources, be authorised to approve and enter into any of the financial agreements and instruments required by the Members Agreement to facilitate the new Overarching Business Plans and subsequent above mentioned Phase Business Plans in resolutions 4 and 5;

(8)           the Corporate Director of Place, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to give the Council’s agreement to the submission by the HSDP of any planning application and any related documents or assessments for Poets Corner, Byron Quarter, Grange Farm and Milton Road;

(9)           the next stage approach to Grange Farm (Ph 2 & 3) as set out in Paragraph 3.2.7 of the officer report be approved and the Corporate Director of Place be authorised  to take any decision and enter into any agreements required to deliver the next stage of the project;

(10)        progress be noted on the Milton Road project;

(11)        any amendments required to the 2024/25 Treasury Management Strategy be referred to Council;

(12)        the Director of Legal and Governance Services, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to take any action necessary to ensure that the Council’s continued participation in the HSDP is at all times compliant with applicable state subsidy laws;

(13)        it be noted that the Council’s main offices would remain at Forward Drive for the foreseeable future.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the progress of Harrow Strategic Development Partnership and Housing delivery programme to continue.