The Committee received a
detailed report setting out an update to the Housing Infrastructure
Fund: New Routes to Good Growth (HIF) project.
The following was
discussed:
- Outcome of
consultation – In response to a
question, the Assistant Director Regeneration advised that work was
currently being undertaken on assessing responses to the recent
consultation and further information would be available in
November.
He
further advised thatowing to the extensive feedback from the
consultation, in consultation with Homes England, it had been
agreed that an additional year be added to the scheme to ensure the
quality of the delivery of the HIF scheme.
·
Acquisitions Policy -
It was confirmed that the Acquisition Policy had
recently been to Cabinet and approved.
The
Assistant Director Regeneration advised that there was an element
of overlap with the HIF scheme and the Local Plan as the process of
the Local Plan pre-empted significant development
- The role of
Capita – Information was sought as
to the involvement of Capita, why this was considered necessary and
the costs for this service. In response the Assistant Director
Regeneration advised that due to the complexity of the HIF scheme
and the environmental impact assessments and planning process,
Capita had been engaged to support officers.
- Strategic
Transport Assessment – It was noted
that the Strategic Transport Assessment for the Local Plan had
identified the need for a wider integrated transport service to
accommodate the full scale of residential and employment growth
planned on the Hoo Peninsula and information was requested as to
when the Area-Wide Travel Plan would be available. The Assistant
Director Regeneration informed the Committee that work on the Area
Wide Travel Plan would be ongoing alongside work on the Local Plan.
He advised that whilst HIF funding would unlock the provision of
homes, other infrastructure was also required.
- Funding
target – The Head of HIF and
Regeneration confirmed that the current spend from the HIF budget
was on target and funding had been used to undertake preliminary
work on design and environmental assessments. The Assistant
Director Regeneration confirmed that work on the HIF scheme was
being value engineered throughout to ensure work remained within
the budget available.
- Local Plan Regulation 19 – The
Assistant Director Regeneration confirmed that whilst the HIF team
was a consultee on the Local Plan, no HIF funding was being used
for Regulation 19 work on the Local Plan. However, progress on both
were interlinked.
- Phasing of
works – In response to a question
as to the phasing of works on the HIF scheme, the Assistant
Director Regeneration confirmed that officers were currently in the
process of considering the phasing of the works. Whilst it was
inevitable that there would be some disruption, officers were
working with the Highways Authority to ensure that disruption was
kept to a minimum. At this stage, it was too early to confirm the
phasing of the various works.
- Canal Road
Rochester – It was suggested that
as a means of alleviating congestion, consideration be given to
opening Canal Road, Rochester if only for a couple of hours each
day.
- Rail
link – The Assistant Director
Regeneration confirmed that it was too early to provide information
as to whether the rail link would be diesel or
electric.
The Committee thanked officers
for the update and in particular the way in which they had engaged
with Ward Councillors on the HIF Scheme.
Decision:
The Committee noted the
report.