Report of the The Strategic Director, Development

This report sets out details of the Phase 1 Implementation Strategy for the Northern Gateway. It accompanies the report that appears elsewhere on the agenda, which contains a final version of the Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the Northern Gateway for approval.

The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director (Development), which set out details of the Phase 1 Implementation Strategy for the Northern Gateway.

The Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration referred to the main points and themes within the report which included:-

·                Governance arrangements for the Northern Gateway;

·                Phase 1 development activity in years 1 to 5, which included Red Bank and New Town and development in Collyhurst;

·                Tenure and typology mix and affordability of new housing;

·                The infrastructure and funding required to deliver the Northern Gateway;

·                Place management arrangements;

·                The required land assembly to deliver Phase 1; and

·                Emerging policy context.

The Committee had been invited to comment on the report prior to its submission to the Executive on 13 February 2019.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committees discussions were:-

·                Consideration needed to be given as to how the city centre travel plan would impact on the Northern Gateway proposals;

·                What role would Rochdale Road have in the proposals as there was a concern that within the Northern Gateway proposals, it was being referenced as an urban avenue but in the Transport Strategy 2040 it was referred to as an express bus corridor and what impact would the Bury and Rochdale allocations in the GMSF have in terms of the use of this road;

·                Further details were requested on what were the other mechanisms being explored for the management of open spaces; and

·                How was the Strategic Business Plan going to be scrutinised.

The Leader advised that to deliver the targets within the GMSF, there was a large dependence on central Manchester to achieve this and the number of housing units in this plan would be key top deliver these targets. A lot of the work taking place with TFGM at present was to see how a road system could be designed to accommodate public transport, cycling and walking whilst being liveable for those who lived on this route.

The Committee was advised that in terms of the mechanisms to manage open space, this would be dependent on how public open space was to be managed, whether it would be adopted or in some instances, part of private realm. What was recognised would be the need for a clear integrated strategy to place management.

The Leader advised that if this Committee was minded to, it could scrutinise the Strategic Business Plan, but added the caveat that this would need to be undertaken under a Part B item.

Councillors Karney and Flanagan were then invited to address the Committee with their views in regards to the proposals within the Northern Gateway.  Both Councillors welcomed the development and regeneration proposals within the Framework.  A request was made for Officers to provide more detail to local councillors on the outcome of the consultation that had taken place with local residents.

Decision

The Committee:-

(1)          Requests that the Executive take into account the comments made by the Committee;

(2)          Requests that the outcome of the consultation with local residents is shared with local Councillors on a ward by ward basis; and

(3)          Endorses the recommendations contained within the report that the Executive:-

·                Note the contents of the report and the progress being made to establish appropriate governance and implementation arrangements to secure the delivery of the Northern Gateway initiative;

·                Note that the City Council has submitted an Expression of Interest for the Northern Gateway to be designated for inclusion within the Government’s Garden Communities Programme and request that a further report is brought back to a future meeting once the outcome of this submission is known;

·                Note the update provided in relation to the progress being made in developing an application for Housing Infrastructure Fund to support the delivery of the Northern Gateway initiative and to delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and the Strategic Director, Development to finalise and submit the application to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by the deadline of 22 March 2019 and to request that a further report on the outcome of this bid is brought to a future meeting of the Executive, together with any proposals for the investment of any funding that is secured;

·                Note the intention to deliver an early phase of development within Collyhurst as well as on the edge of the City Centre and to delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Development in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration and local elected members to identify appropriate locations for the delivery of up to 530 new homes, including up to 130 new Council Houses, within the Collyhurst neighbourhood so that detailed consultations can be undertaken with the local community to draw up proposals for a detailed funding and delivery plan, for consideration by a future meeting of the Executive;

·                Note the intention to prepare a costed schedule of placemaking interventions for the Phase 1 development area which will be used by the Local Planning Authority as the basis for negotiating Section 106 developer contributions. All developments will be expected to provide Section 106 contributions towards the provision of identified placemaking activities;

·                Note the progress being made in assembling land to deliver the objectives of the Northern Gateway programme and to delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources to agree and finalise the terms of a commercial loan between the Council and Far East Consortium (FEC) to support land acquisition as part of the Joint Venture programme.  Note that approval of the loan would be subject to approval of full Council, requiring a Part B report at the appropriate time and

·                Delegate authority to the City Solicitor to enter into and complete all documents or agreements necessary to give effect to the recommendations in this report.

[Councillor Johns declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in this item as his employer undertook the social economic vision for the Far East Consortium and left the meeting during consideration of this item].