·         In November 2017 North Devon Council were awarded £2.2 million of Land Release Funds to bring forward 245 residential units on Seven Brethren, Barnstaple. £1 million of this was to go towards junction improvements and £1.2 million towards flood defences.

·         The Land Release Fund (LRF) was a Government initiative set up to assist in unlocking sites and accelerating development of housing.  The Local Government Association (LGA) were the Fund administrators and they were expecting the land to be released for housing no later than December 2020.

·         Securing a Delivery Partner was one of the definitions of land release.

·         In August 2018 it was agreed to use the Homes England delivery partner panel to secure a delivery partner for this site.  A detailed procurement process was undertaken.

·         In November 2019 we became aware that we were unlikely to be successful.  A request to seek a further procurement process was sought at committee in November 2019.

·         In early 2020 just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic North Devon Council was about to resume a procurement process for a delivery partner, not using the Home England’s panel.

·         Discussions were underway with LGA, who were aware of the difficulties presented by the Covid-19 crisis, to extend the deadline from December 2020.

·         As part of the scheme any delivery partner would have to demolish the existing Leisure Centre building.

·         Advice had since been received on the reasons for the unsuccessful bid and the attractiveness of the Seven Brethren site for development.

·         There was no guarantee a delivery partner would be found but North Devon Council should continue to exhaust all options to secure a delivery partner and if unsuccessful the funding could always be returned.

·         The LGA administer the funds on behalf of the Government

·         Homes England no longer had any involvement in the Seven Brethren site.

·         A land agent would need to be appointed to help with selecting an appropriate delivery partner.

·         The illustrative masterplan for this site indicated that 245 units was not feasible with 227 being a more realistic number and at this stage in the process it was too early to be looking at housing need

RECOMMENDED:

(a)  That submission of a planning application be made and procure a delivery partner for residential development on the Seven Brethren site, with the following amendments:

(I)           To formally request an extension to March 2021 from the LGA; and

(II)          That the building standards include provisions to future proof the buildings in respect of the proposed carbon neutral aspirations set out in the North Devon Council Environmental Policy 2020.