Agenda item

a)         Role of the Committee

b)         Consideration of Cabinet Report and Questions

c)         Committee’s View for Cabinet

The Cabinet Member for Homes and Energy, the Director of Place and the Interim Head of Corporate Building Services, were present for the Committee’s consideration of the Cabinet Report on ‘More Homes Parc yr Helyg Site Options Appraisal’.

The Cabinet Member highlighted the following:-

·                The Pilot Scheme and first construction site at Colliers Way had been very successful;

·                Lessons learnt from the Pilot Scheme, particularly in respect of local procurement;

·                It was hoped that approximately 74% of procurement would be within a 10 Mile Radius, 84% would be within a 20 Mile radius and 92% within a 50 Mile radius, should ‘Swansea Standard’ be used; and 

·                There was opportunity for Innovative Housing Programme Grant with ‘Swansea Standard’.

The Committee asked questions of the Cabinet Member who, assisted by the Director of Place and the Interim Head of Corporate Building Services, responded accordingly. Questions and discussions focused on the following:-

·                Positive feedback from the Colliers Way site particularly from residents;

·                Passivhaus remained an option for future developments;

·                Costs per Unit as laid out in the report, did not include costs for external works. Such costs were in the full breakdown of costs at Appendix A and B;

·                Costs per Metre Square were felt to be comparable with the Private Sector;

·                Houses were not being built for profit, the market would have to be tested to assess competitiveness on the private market;

·                Viability of the Parc yr Helyg site in consideration of increased external costs as a result of the need to divert overhead cables, carry out major attenuation works for surface water drainage as well as the need for retaining walls;

·                Possibility and scope of Innovative Housing Programme Grant;

·                Difficulty of training, procurement and costs of materials for Passivhaus Standard;

·                Requirement and use of radiators in Passivhaus homes; and

·                Procurement process and ongoing work surrounding breaking down barriers for local suppliers.

The Committee considered the proposed recommendations in the report and raised any issues and concerns that should be brought to the attention of Cabinet ahead of its decision on 21 June 2018.

Whilst the Committee largely agreed that Swansea Standard was the preferred specification for the development at Parc yr Helyg, the Committee highlighted a number of issues which Cabinet should consider: -

·           The significant cost of external works at Parc yr Helyg; and

·           The viability of the Parc yr Helyg site and whether other sites such as a

 Phase 2 at Colliers Way would be more cost effective

Resolved that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee writes to the Cabinet Member outlining the views of the Committee, for Cabinet’s consideration.