Agenda item

6.1

The Assembly received a presentation from Rob Harbourne, Sanctuary Housing, upon the new housing scheme proposed for the site at Arbourthorne Fields.   He reported that Sheffield City Council had commissioned a Masterplan in 2005 for the Arbourthorne neighbourhood, which had identified a need for elderly persons’ housing (55 years plus) within the area. Sanctuary Housing Association had been selected as the preferred developer through the competitive tendering process held by Sheffield City Council, and proposals were for 56 one and two bedroom homes for rent for older people. Four of these homes would be bungalows and the remainder were to be flats.

6.2

The homes would all be generous in size, with 50% of the properties suitable for wheelchair usage. All ground floor flats would have private gardens, and there would also be communal gardens, as well as on-site parking spaces.

6.3

A highly sustainable development was proposed, by adopting environmental design strategies and by making use of renewable and other energy saving systems, including high performance building fabric, solar panels, systems for rainwater from roofs to be linked to water butts, a green roof for the bungalows, and use of the winter-gardens to conserve energy. It was noted that the winter-garden areas would be subject to a window-cleaning contract, which would be set up as part of the tenancy agreement.

6.4

Mr. Harbourne reported that the Arbourthorne Fields Steering Group had been working very closely alongside Sanctuary Housing to develop the scheme, and the Group comprised local tenants and residents and Expert Elders, as well as representatives from Sanctuary Housing and Sheffield City Council Regeneration Team.  Monthly meetings of the Group had been held over the past year in order to scrutinise the proposals.    

6.5

An open day to showcase the proposals had been held in Arbourthorne on 20^th October 2011, and there had been approximately 40 attendees. With regard to the allocation of the properties, a Choice Based Lettings system would be operated by Sheffield City Council, working alongside Sanctuary and Sheffield Homes, in order to determine all allocations.

6.6

Key dates for the project were as follows:-

• Planning application validated by Sheffield Council: 18th April 2012
• Planning Approval expected: July 2012
• Expected Start on Site: Sept 2012
• Expected Completion: Nov 2013 (Lettings to start from completion date)

6.7

Councillor John Robson extended his thanks to all the members of the Steering Group, as they had worked extremely hard over a number of years to get to this stage. Cllr Robson added that he thought the proposals were excellent, and he was delighted to see the progress which had been made with the development. He added that he was extremely pleased to be back at work since recovering from his treatment, and that the new developments which had occurred during his time off, such as the East Bank Road Medical Centre, were very pleasing to see.

6.8

Councillor Julie Dore added that the scheme had been in the pipeline for some time now, and it was excellent to see the proposals in full, and to have an expected start date on site of September 2012. She requested that Sanctuary Housing keep in touch with local people and the Assembly for regular updates.

6.9

Lyn Brandon from the Sheffield Primary Care Trust commented that she was part of an initiative around community food growing in the East of Sheffield, and that it would be great to have the opportunity to develop sustainable food production in the communal garden areas of the new homes.

6.10

Councillor Jack Scott commented that he was pleased to see that the building proposals were of a high specification, and he hoped that the development would stand the test of time.

6.11

Councillor Dore informed the meeting that the City Council had offered the land at Arbourthorne Fields to Sanctuary Housing for the development due to the need for high quality housing in the area, and that its value as a piece of land had been forfeited in the best interests of the local community.

6.12

It was noted that Sanctuary Housing would not be allowed to benefit financially from the solar power gathered in any way, and that any surplus energy created would allow a certain amount of money to be deducted from tenants’ monthly service charges. It was also noted that the development would not be warden-controlled, as this would incur significant service charges on the properties.

6.13

RESOLVED: That the Assembly:

(a)      notes the contents of the presentation now submitted;

(b)      requests that a representative from Sanctuary Housing liaise with a representative form the Sheffield PCT to develop a potential community food growing initiative at the site, and

(c)      requests that an update on the project be brought back to a meeting of the Assembly to be held in 12 months’ time.