Decision details

The report seeks agreement for three areas of land to be declared surplus for the purposes of Part II of the Housing Act 1985 as they are not required for the delivery of new housing. The report also seeks to declare surplus an area of land for use as open space/public recreation. Subject to there being no objections to an open space notice, the report also recommends that each site is appropriated to its new purpose, as described in the report.

That:-

(a)  the areas of land off Shrewsbury Road, Deerlands Avenue and Harborough Road (Site A) be declared surplus to requirements for the purposes of Part II of the Housing Act 1985 and no longer accounted for within the Housing Revenue Account;

(b)  the area of land off Harborough Road (Site B) be declared surplus to requirements for use as open space; and

(c)  subject to there being no objections to an open space notice, approval be given for each site to be appropriated to a new purpose, as described in the report.

Each of the areas of land (see paragraphs 1.2 and 1.3) described in the report is no longer required for the purpose for which it is held. As per the rationale within the report, each site would benefit from being formally changed to reflect a new purpose. This is particularly important to formalise existing maintenance arrangements (in the case of Clay Wood which has been treated as open space since 2014) and to also ensure that much needed new housing is maximised on the Corker Bottoms site.

Do nothing. Each of the surplus declarations seeks to ensure that each area of land (described in paragraphs 1.2 and 1.3 of the report) is best utilised. By not declaring the sites surplus to requirements (in relation to their respective purposes) the sites cannot be appropriated to a more suitable use. In turn, the Housing and Neighbourhoods Service will have a responsibility to maintain small areas of land that already sit adjacent to open space (which is maintained by Parks), which, if ever practically implemented, is likely to be less cost effective for the Council. In the case of Corker Bottoms Area B, without the appropriation of this land for housing purposes, Sheffield Housing Company will be forced to redesign the scheme which could result in the loss of one unit within their 47 unit development proposal.