Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2017.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 14 June 2017 were approved as a correct record.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

To receive any announcements from the Chair.

No announcements were made.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report details how the Council can further support our ambition to create thriving sustainable town centre by creating the right conditions for Town Centre Living.  The proposed approach to residential development in Stockport Town Centre is also supported through the Council’s  Brownfield First approach.

The Commission is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: George Perrin on 0161-474-4510 or email george.perrin@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing how the Council aimed to further support the ambition to create a thriving sustainable town centre by creating the right conditions for Town Centre Living.  It was also noted that the proposed approach to residential development in Stockport Town Centre was also supported through the Council’s Brownfield First approach.

The following comments were made:-

·         Whether a boundary had been established for the town centre and how such a boundary might be defined.

·         Members would continue to be involved in the development of the Town Centre Living project through the Central Stockport Area Committee and the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the ambitious ‘target’ of 2,500 new dwellings within the Town Centre within 10 years.  It was noted that in the past ten years development within the Town Centre had achieved a fraction of that number of units.

·         While there was a clear ambition to deliver housing with the Town Centre within the report, it was less clear what the strategy to achieve this was.

·         Consideration needed to be given to the development of high quality infrastructure to support increased residential development which would include schools, parking and healthcare.

·         An appropriate level of housing density for the Town Centre needed to be considered with particular regard being given to protecting townscape views within the Town Centre, elements of which, such as views to the viaduct, warranted high levels of protection.

·         It was important to have a strategy which would assist to unlock some of the brownfield sites in the Town Centre which have historically provided difficult to develop.

·         The benefits of providing a zoning system for land use in the Town Centre were discussed, and whether the retail core needed to be pared back to reflect current levels of demand.

·         There was the potential to increase residential accommodation through the use of underutilised or empty accommodation above retail units.

·         Following members comments in relation to the phraseology around housing targets for the Town Centre, it was proposed that such references should be removed the final document.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Resources, Stockport Homes.

On 8 March 2017 a full progress report was delivered to the Housing Commission which included the full details of the development programme, including details of individual schemes. This report provides an update on the previous report.

The Commission is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Steve Leonard on 0161 474 3460 or email: steve.leonard@stockporthomes.org

A representative of the Director of Resources, Stockport Homes submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on progress in delivering the Stockport Homes, Stockport Council and Viaduct Partnership Development Programme.

It was reported that since the previous report the total number of completed new build homes (including those under construction) had increased from 535 units to 725 units.

The following comments were made:-

·         During the first quarter, the ‘Cross Keys’ scheme had been completed which offered 14 homes for rent, and tenants had moved into the properties in May.

·         A further two schemes had commenced during Quarter 1 at the ‘Bredbury Curve’ and St Thomas’ Hospital.

·         The development at Blackstone Fields, Offerton had gained planning permission and aimed to provide 27 homes.  Further work was taking place in relation to the land to the rear of the development to better understand the ground conditions.

The Chair commented that the progress made to date was encouraging and the outlook for future developments as part of the scheme remained positive.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report outlines the Government policy on HRA rents and the consultation to set the policy beyond 2020.

The Commission is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 0161 474 4319 or email: andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the Government’s approach to HRA rents, specifically that it would continue to reduce council and housing association rents by 1% a year for the next three years, and the proposed approach to consultation in setting a rent policy for the period beyond 2020.

The following comments were made:-

·         The decision to change the annual guideline increase from RPI + ½% to CPI + 1% from April 2015, and end the allowance for convergence, and, secondly the decision to reduce council rents by 1% a year from April 2016 until March 2020 would result in an accumulated loss of income for the period 2016/17–2020/21 of approximately £19m.

·         Should the current rent policy continue beyond 2020, the losses would accumulate to around £216m over the period of the business plan.

·         The Council’s response to the consultation was based on any future rent setting policy having, as a minimum, an agreement to increase rents at CPI plus one per cent which would allow Stockport Homes to continue to finance its business plan, continue to build new homes and maintain the housing stock.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration to report at the meeting.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration attended the meeting and provided an update on the Council’s response to the Grenfell Tower fire. 

The following comments were made:-

·         Stockport had 22 tower blocks, 6 of which were cladded.  Of those 6 towers, four were clad with basalt which was a Grade A non-combustible material.  The remaining two towers were clad with aluminium with non-combustible insulation and with fire stops installed within the structure.

·         Prior to the Grenfell Tower fire, all tower blocks had received at Level 4 fire risk assessment, following which £4.9m of investment had been identified.  The required investment had been separated out into high priority works which had all been completed, and medium priority works which were due to be completed this year.

·         The Council had committed to testing the cladding material on its tower block, despite them being non-combustible, however due to a backlog at the BRE testing facility, this had not yet been completed.

·         Since the fire, fire risk assessments had been recommissioned on high rise tower blocks of which 8 had been completed.

·         The Council was looking to identify consultants who would be able to assess potential solutions to the retrofitting of sprinkler systems within Stockport’s tower blocks.

RESOLVED – That the update be noted.

There were no further items of business.

To agree the date for the next meeting of the Commission.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting of the Commission be held on Wednesday, 18 October 2017.