Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       To seek approval in convening All Party Round Table meetings, across Members, on various strands of the Housing Led Regeneration programme.

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       The Committee is asked:

i)       to approve convening an All-Party Round Table regarding Housing Led Regeneration work strands across the city that will provide an opportunity for Members to have a focused and informed discussion around this strategic priority, with representation from Party Group Leaders or their nominees.

ii)     Note the updates below in relation to the Inner North West Development Brief; the procurement of a Development Partner / Institutional Investor for the delivery of £630m GDV housing led placemaking regeneration at scale in the city; city wide strategic site assessments and the City Centre Living Vision.

4.0       Main Report

4.1       All Party Round Table discussions

            Members will be aware that Housing Led Regeneration is a strategic priority of this Committee as set out in the Committee Plan under ‘Maximising Housing Development and Regeneration Opportunities’, which aligns into the Strategic Priority of ‘Maximising Housing Development and Regeneration Opportunities’ as set out in the Corporate Plan. Of relevance to highlight is the further synergy to the refreshed Belfast Agenda and the priority theme of ‘Housing Led Regeneration’ under the area of ‘Our Place’. This strategic priority involves the commitment and input from a diverse array of stakeholders, including Council, DfC, other Government departments, NIHE and importantly communities. This includes the work being taken forward by the Community Planning structures via the Housing Led Regeneration Group as part of the Belfast Agenda and via the City Development Board.

4.2       Following recent discussions between officers and Elected Members regarding various matters associated with housing led regeneration including city centre living and given how it cuts across various Committees and via the Community Planning process, it has been proposed that it may be helpful for Members to convene an All-Party Round Table meeting (with PGL or their nominees) to ensure they can see all this work holistically, which is not always possible via the current structures. It will provide an overview of the various streams of work underway including the work of the Housing Led Regeneration Group; NIHE, Housing Association, developer and investor discussions; planning; funding issues etc and where they feed into Council’s strategic priorities and governance structures.  

4.3       Members will be aware of various updates brought to Committee in relation to housing led regeneration activities and by way of very brief update on some of these, the following is highlighted: 

·        As reported to this Committee in September 2023 (subsequently SP&R Committee 2023) the Inner North West Development Brief for lands at Little Donegall St/Library St /Kent St was being reissued following input from DfC (as landowner of part of the lands) and NIHE.  Members will recall that this Development Brief process had previously been paused at the request of Members.  In line with the Committee decisions of September ’23 the reframed Brief has now been issued to all 15 developing Housing Associations, with a deadline for return in June 2024.

·        Development Partner / Institutional Investor: Following the Housing Led Regeneration Programme update to this Committee and agreement at SP&R Committee in September 2023, Council launched the process which seeks procurement for a long term partner for the delivery of £630m GDV housing led placemaking regeneration in October 2023.  As Members will recall this includes the inclusion of significant identified Council lands in the city centre, as part of a multi-site

residential-led mixed-use regeneration development opportunity, with the potential for further sites across the city to be identified over the course of the partnership. Through this process Council are seeking a long-term partner to fund, develop and where appropriate to own and manage assets delivered through the partnership as part of a comprehensive regeneration scheme. The process is in line with the scheduled procurement programme. The Selection Questionnaire and de-selection stages have recently concluded, with 3 bidders now progressing through to the imminent Competitive Dialogue stage. The process is continuing in line with the procurement programme and is currently on schedule, with recommendations to be brought back to Members later in the year and with prior updates as this progresses.

·        City Wide Strategic Site Assessments (SSA Phase 2): feasibility assessment including planning appraisals are currently being undertaken and as previously agreed by Members these will be brought to Area Working Groups, with updates to Area Working Groups from May onwards. It is worth noting that this forms part of wider work with the Housing Led Regeneration Group which is also assessing other public sector lands inc NIHE and DfC lands and this wider assessment work will also be brought to Members aligned to the governance mechanisms for the other public sector bodies.  

·        City Centre Living Vision:  As reported to this Committee and referenced also to the Committee Workshop in January 2023 on City Centre Living, the City Centre Living Vision work has now completed. This is supporting an evidenced based approach to building a sustainable city centre residential vision; producing clear recommendations acknowledging the role of Council and its partners in delivering this vision; recognising the current and emerging social, demographic, economic and political landscape of the city and region; considering demand, supply, community and social infrastructure, urban design, viability and case studies from elsewhere. The summary findings and recommendations on this City Centre Living Vision will be brought to the proposed All Party Round Table.

·        It is worth highlighting that there are a significant number of consented residential units / schemes that have come through the planning system in the city centre particularly, and that these have not progressed

·        for various reasons including issues around policy, viability,  infrastructure etc, many of which are out with Council’s responsibility, however the proposed roundtable will provide an opportunity to discuss these matters with Members.  

4.4       There are internal and external plans that aim to drive forward housing led regeneration in the city and the Belfast Agenda is key to focusing on these priorities and setting out measurable actions that will be delivered by Community Planning partners. As Members are aware the refreshed Belfast Agenda and supporting action plans were endorsed recently by Council at the beginning of March 2024, and that under the auspices of Community Planning a Housing Led Regeneration Group was established with the purpose of; Supporting integrated planning and greater collaboration across partners in relation to the assessment and identification of city-wide public-sector lands to facilitate housing led regeneration, as well as identifying potential strategic private sector land opportunities, either on their own or in conjunction with adjoining public sector owned lands, as well as;

            Exploring mechanisms to establish partnerships for development of homes and ways of investing in housing throughout the city, as well as identifying barriers to delivery and potential solutions and to assign route map and parties to help overcome these identified barriers.

4.5       This Group currently includes representatives from BCC, NIHE, SIB, DfC and LPS and is chaired by the Chief Executive of the NIHE.   The proposed Roundtable will provide an opportunity to update on the work of this HLRG and including barriers to delivery and potential solutions. 

4.6       Key to the successful delivery of the of the priorities for Housing Led Regeneration as set out in the Belfast Agenda and Council’s Corporate Plan is the ability of Council to collaboratively work with external public and private sector partners in relation to strategic opportunities and overcoming challenges. It is important to note that whilst housing led regeneration is a strategic priority of this Committee and of Council, the powers and responsibility for a significant amount of delivery lie with DfC, including for example, housing, urban regeneration, community and voluntary sector development, social legislation.

4.7       Subject to Members approval, it is proposed to convene an All Party Round Table meeting focused on housing led regeneration, which will provide an opportunity for Members to have a focused informed discussion and to consider ongoing activity, potential opportunities and the work of the Community Planning, Housing Led Regeneration Group. This will build on the engagement of previous City Growth and Regeneration workshops on Housing Led Regeneration which took place in January 2022 and January 2023 and allow an opportunity for specific Committee Plan priority updates on for example City Centre Living, City Wide Strategic Site Assessments, City Centre Living Vision and Inner North West Development Brief etc, and wider issues around barriers and opportunities in respect to driving forward housing led regeneration. 

5.0       Financial and Resource Implications

            None

6.0       Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no Equality, Good Relations or Rural Needs implications associated with this report.”

            The Committee:

i)            Approved convening an All-Party Round Table regarding Housing Led Regeneration work strands across the city that would provide an opportunity for Members to have a focused and informed discussion around this strategic priority, with representation from Party Group Leaders or their nominees; and

ii)      Noted the updates in relation to the Inner North West Development Brief; the procurement of a Development Partner / Institutional Investor for the delivery of £630m GDV housing led placemaking regeneration at scale in the city; city wide strategic site assessments and the City Centre Living Vision.