Change Request relating to Friar Park
Presented By: Nicholas Younger
Additional documents:
Decision:
1. A reduction in the housing output from 750+ to a minimum of 630 dwellings be approved;
2. The Executive Director of Housing, Property and Regeneration be authorised to negotiate and agree the terms of the revised Joint Venture Agreement in consultation with the S.151 Officer be approved;
3. The WMCA budget for investment into the remediation of the Friar park site by the additional maximum sum set out tin the report be approved;
4. The Joint Venture partner for the scheme, Sandwell MBC is investing funding (as part of a Levelling Up Partnership) plus additional Capital Budget funding (subject to formal approval) as set out in the report be noted and
5. The revised housing delivery end date for the project is now 2035 be noted.
Minutes:
The board considered a report of the interim Executive Director of Housing, Property and Regeneration that sought approval of a Change Request relating to Friar Park.
The interim Executive Director of Housing, Property & Regeneration, John Godfrey, outlined key highlights from the report and advised the board of the complex reasons why the project milestones had not been achieved following the approval of the project in 2019, a Joint Venture with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.
It was noted that the Change Request submitted takes account of the remediation strategy and masterplan approved by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council in March 2023. The Change Request requires a reduction in the number of housing units and a revised Joint Venture Agreement with Sandwell MBC.
Development Manager, Nicholas Younger, summarised the changes to the project.
The Chair thanked the Development Manager and WMCA colleagues for ‘getting the project over the line’ noting the importance of the scheme to Sandwell and the region.
Resolved:
1. A reduction in the housing output from 750+ to a minimum of 630 dwellings be approved;
2. The interim Executive Director of Housing, Property and Regeneration be authorised to negotiate and agree the terms of the revised Joint Venture Agreement in consultation with the S.151 Officer be approved;
3. The WMCA budget for investment into the remediation of the Friar Park site by the additional maximum sum set out in the report be approved;
4. The Joint Venture partner for the scheme, Sandwell MBC is investing funding (as part of a Levelling Up Partnership) plus additional Capital Budget funding (subject to formal approval) as set out in the report be noted and
5. The revised housing delivery end date for the project is now 2035 be noted.
[The Chair, Councillor Peter Hughes, declared a personal interest in the matter as a member of Sandwell Council].