Agenda item

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 13th June, 2008, it had declared surplus to Council requirements the public conveniences at Templemore Avenue and had authorised the submission of an outline planning application for the demolition of the public conveniences and redevelopment of the site for housing, with the site being placed for sale on the open market.  Subsequently, on 18th December, 2008, outline planning approval had been granted to provide a residential development of six townhouses.

            The Director of Property and Projects reported that the site had been placed on the open market for sale and, despite extensive marketing over the previous number of months, there had been limited interest and the offers which had been received were below expectations and reflected a weak market with limited demand and lack of funding.  However, Habitat for Humanity NI had recently made a revised offer of £120,000 for the site.  The next highest offer received had been £75,000 from a private housing developer who was unwilling to increase that offer.  There had also been some interest, although no offer had been made, from another Housing Association but it had withdrawn its interest at the present time due to the current proposals by Habitat for Humanity.

            The Director reported that Habitat for Humanity was a non-registered housing association which had built 85 homes in Northern Ireland and was on-site currently for a six house project in Madrid Street, off Templemore Avenue.  As in Madrid Street, Habitat for Humanity proposed to develop the Templemore Avenue site as a self-build, community?based and volunteer supported project, which delivered affordable housing.  The organisation selected home partners (self-builders) according to certain criteria, including housing need, lower household income, willingness to self-build and local associations.  It would sell the houses at market value through a shared equity arrangement with 45% mortgage, 5% charitable grant from themselves and 50% shared equity funding from a registered housing association or Northern Ireland co-ownership.  Whilst planning approval had already been granted for six two-bedroom townhouses, Habitat for Humanity proposed to make a revised planning application for six three?bedroom townhouses of a different layout and style.  The Council’s Marketing Agents had confirmed that they would recommend acceptance of the offer for the site should the Council wish to dispose of it at this time.

            The Director explained that Habitat for Humanity had requested that the Council, if it were minded to sell the site, consider a request that the sale be subject to staged payments.  He explained that staged payment was not something the Council would normally accept in terms of disposals of that nature.  However, if the Committee wished to approve the request then it could be done by way of a Development Agreement whereby the Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland organisation and the Council would enter into an agreement which would permit the organisation to occupy the site by way of a Building Licence to undertake works within a specified time period from the date of the grant of the revised planning application, but title to the site would not transfer until all the monies had been received.  A deposit would be payable on receipt of planning permission and the issue of the Building Licence, with the remaining monies payable in staged payments within a one-year timeframe.

            After discussion, the Committee approved the disposal of the Templemore Avenue site to Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland in the sum of £120,000 and acceded to the organisation’s request for staged payments and that that be effected by way of a Development Agreement as outlined.