Agenda item

This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor Member Francesca Smith.

The Report has two purposes:

·       To reinforce the Council’s willingness to progress a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to achieve vacant possession of the North Taunton Woolaway Project (the Project) development area to achieve the successful regeneration of North Taunton.  The Council throughout the CPO process enthusiastically attempt to purchase by mutual consent wherever possible.

·       To request permission from the Executive to purchase two privately owned dwellings in the North Taunton Woolaway Project (the Project), if purchased this will avoid CPO activity in relation to these properties. 

Cllr Francesca Smith presented the report to Scrutiny via Zoom. Jane Windebank provided a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the current issues.

During the discussion the following points were made: -

·       This is a precautionary measure and is aimed at private homeowners who have previously purchased a Woolaway property under the Councils Right to Buy Scheme. It is to ensure that the council has vacant possession of all properties in the North Taunton development area and prevent unnecessary delays on the demolition date. National guidelines recognise the benefit of beginning the CPO process and securing a CPO even if it’s not required later. It will also ensure that homeowners are aware of the Council’s intentions to proceed with a CPO and thus enter more readily into meaningful negotiations.

·       The paragraphs in italics (2.5 and 4.7) will be removed from the final report.

·       Issues around decant and moving need to be handled sensitively and supportively. It will be difficult, painful and emotional for some residents to give up their family home. The housing team are working hard to support residents in this situation.

·       The CPO only relates to private homeowners and not tenants. The new development is 100% social housing. There is no private home ownership. The options for tenants who have been decanted are that they can remain in the temporary accommodation if they wish to make it their permanent home; move to an alternative new home or can move back to the scheme on completion.

·       Since the Council moved to re-develop the North Taunton Area, tenants occupying the Woolaway homes in the scheme have had their Right To Buy frozen. Future purchases on the development area have been put on hold due to the demolition order on the site.

·       Due to the well-known inherent problems associated with Woolaway construction, it is difficult to obtain a mortgage and purchase on the open market. This also proves a problem for someone trying to sell as they may be in a negative or low equity situation.

·       Tenants are usually waiting for between 12-18months for a suitable property, but this depends on their choices and whether they are waiting for a specific home in a specific road. This can prolong the process. Tenants in decant are moved to gold banding and awarded extra back-dated “waiting points” which gives them high priority for re-housing but they could be competing alongside other tenants who are also in the same decant situation and have the same required housing need. COVID-19 also delayed the re-build on the Phase A development, so those tenants have had to wait longer.

·       Financial compensation (disturbance payment) will be offered to those homeowners who are forced to move and the Council offers an incentive scheme to encourage vacant possession over and above the market value of the CPO. This will assist those who are looking to purchase a traditional property on the open market and may be facing a funding shortfall. Equity loans are also available to owner-occupiers, and this has already been taken up and enabled owners to move to new homes.

·       Some of the homeowners may consider moving on to social housing via the Homefinder route due to a change in their personal circumstances.

RESOLVED to accept the report recommendations whilst highlighting that the SWT Housing Directorate continues to fully support vulnerable households/individuals who find themselves in these circumstances and are forced to move.