Decision details

Proposed Purchase of Thirty Affordable Homes for Rent and Shared Ownership

Decision Maker: Portfolio Holder - Housing and Homelessness

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

This report seeks the approval of the Housing and Homelessness Portfolio Holder to acquire the freehold interest in thirty new-build residential properties within the District.

Forming part of the same development, all of the homes will meet a Planning S106 requirement.

Due to the pre-contract nature of this decision and the associated commercial sensitivity, financial and site-specific information has been set out within Confidential Appendix 1.

Decision:

On 4 June 2025, Cllr Steve Davies, the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness made the following decision:

That in accordance with adopted strategic housing and development objectives, it is recommended that the Council enters a Development Agreement and Contract with the house builder to acquire the freehold interest of the thirty new-build homes for the sum disclosed within Confidential Appendix 1.

Any member of the Council, who is not a Portfolio Holder, who considers that this decision should be reviewed should give notice using the call-in facility at the top of this page on the Council’s intranet / extranet site. Alternatively, notice can be given to the Monitoring Officer (Matt Wisdom) (in writing or by e-mail) to be received ON OR BY 5.15 pm on 11 June 2025.

Details of the document the Portfolio Holder considered are attached below.

Reasons for the decision:

The thirty ‘S106’ affordable homes fulfil a planning requirement imposed upon the approved development to include a percentage of affordable housing under policy HOU2 of the Local Plan (July 2020). By acquiring the homes from the Developer, the Council is enabling the Planning Obligation to be fulfilled.

The acquisition of the thirty homes will meet the Corporate Plan People Priority 3 (Meeting Housing Needs) through the Council providing increased numbers of affordable homes, and by demonstrating how the Council is working with developers and landowners to bring forward opportunities for wider housing provision meet the needs of our communities through shared ownership and other tenures. Opportunities will also arise through the development which are likely to contribute towards and reduce pressures on Priority 1 (Helping those in our community in the greatest need)

Alternative options considered:

See report

Declarations of Interest(s): None

Contact: Tim Davis, Service Manager - Housing Strategy & Development Email: tim.davis@nfdc.gov.uk.

Publication date: 04/06/2025

Date of decision: 04/06/2025

Effective from: 12/06/2025

Accompanying Documents: