Paisley West End - Regeneration Update CaH 25 10 22
Renfrewshire Council · 25 October 2022
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 25 October 2022 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 25 October 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Communities and Housing Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Paisley West End – Regeneration Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report seeks to update the Policy Board on progress being made in the implementation of the regeneration masterplan for Paisley West End which is being led by Sanctuary (Scotland) Housing Association Ltd in partnership with the Council and Scottish Government. 1.2 Approval is also being sought to continue the acquisition process for properties within the masterplan area both on a voluntary basis and through Compulsory Purchase Orders. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Policy Board: (i) note the positive progress being made in implementing the Regeneration Masterplan for the West End of Paisley in partnership with Sanctuary Housing Ltd; (ii) note the progress being made in acquiring properties within the masterplan area including through Compulsory Purchase Order no 1; and (iii) authorise the use of Compulsory Purchase Order procedures to ensure the acquisition of properties where voluntary acquisition cannot be secured as indicated on the area set out in the appendix.
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3. Background 3.1 A Regeneration Masterplan for Paisley West End was approved by the Leadership Board of Renfrewshire Council on 12 December 2017 to be implemented in partnership with Sanctuary Housing. This required the acquisition of 129 private properties, noting that they should be demolished to facilitate the delivery of new development within the context of a masterplan. 3.2 Sanctuary’s development team has been liaising with the local community and those within the wider West End area over the course of the last few years. In this time, Sanctuary and the Council have held a number of community consultation events and issued letters and information newsletters to tenants and owners who may be affected by the development plans for the area. 3.3 The Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board of 18 August 2020 requested that officers continue to work with Sanctuary and its agents to communicate with owners of properties throughout the masterplan area. Contact has been established with the majority of private owners and private tenants but despite the best efforts of Council officers, Sanctuary and its agents, it has not been possible to contact all of the property owners. 3.4 Sanctuary’s appointed agent has successfully negotiated the acquisition of a number of privately owned residential and commercial property interests throughout the masterplan area and continue to actively negotiate terms with private owners with transactions at various stages of the legal process. 3.5 Sanctuary’s application for Full Planning Permission for 35 new residential units on two sites on Sutherland Street and on the former student accommodation and sports ground site in Underwood Lane was granted on 21 April 2021. Sanctuary is currently procuring a contract for the erection of the houses and provision is included in Renfrewshire Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) for grant funding from the Scottish Government to support delivery. 3.6 Sanctuary has appointed architects Anderson, Bell + Christie to design the subsequent phases of development for the West End. This design process will consider arrangements for traffic, cleansing and waste services, geotechnical & land Remediation, parking, open space, tenure, archaeology, demolition & conservation. This will be progressed to a detailed design which will be subject to community consultation and stakeholder engagement with a view to submitting an application for full planning permission for the remainder of the masterplan area. Properties at 1 Underwood Lane and 22 Well Street 3.7 Council officers have acquired on a voluntary basis six of the twelve properties. It has not proved possible so far to acquire the other six on this basis. As such, the Director of Communities and Housing has signed a Compulsory Purchase Order in accordance with the previous approval of the Policy Board and this has been submitted to the Scottish Government.
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3.8 Letters were issued to all owners affected by the Compulsory Purchase Order and the requisite public notices were published in the Daily Express informing that representations must be submitted to the Scottish Government by 21 October 2022. The Scottish Government have a period of three months to confirm the Order which if approved will allow the remaining properties to be acquired and transferred to Sanctuary for demolition. 3.9 Regular external checks of the properties which are in a state of dereliction continue to be undertaken to ensure that public safety is maintained but it is recognised that early demolition of these properties will be a positive step for the local community. Properties at: 1–5 Clavering Street East; 2 & 4 Underwood Lane; 2–20, 26, 30–34 and 13–17 Well Street and land behind 2 – 20 Well Street 3.10 There are 132 properties in these seventeen blocks, of which 98 are already owned by the Council or Sanctuary (90 residential and 8 commercial) excluding all of the properties at 24 and 28 Well Street. 3.11 Negotiations are ongoing with the private owners at these locations, but some have so far failed to respond to communications from Sanctuary and their agents, who have advised that at least one owner has reached an impasse despite numerous attempts to agree mutually acceptable terms. 3.12 The Leadership Board of 12 December 2017 previously approved the approach of utilising Compulsory Purchase Order powers to facilitate delivery of the Regeneration Masterplan if, despite all reasonable attempts to voluntarily acquire properties in the Masterplan area, such voluntary acquisition has not been possible. 3.13 The Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Boards of 18 August 2020 and 18 May 2021 respectively authorised the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders at 1 Underwood Lane & 22 Well Street and 26 & 30–34 Well Street. 3.14 Authorisation is now sought to progress Compulsory Purchase Order procedures to cover all remaining private properties in the Masterplan area provided that all reasonable attempts to contact owners and agree voluntary acquisition have been made by Sanctuary and its agents. 3.15 These Compulsory Purchase Order processes would run in parallel with continued efforts to acquire the properties on a voluntary basis. During this time, if an acquisition were successful, the property would be removed from the list of those subject to the Order. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Sanctuary will continue to acquire where voluntary agreement is reached. Costs associated with the acquisition of properties accrued as part of a successful CPO action will be paid by the Council and recharged to Sanctuary as part of the overall agreement approved for the regeneration masterplan for Paisley’s West End.
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2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community/Council Planning – Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – improving neighbourhoods and introducing new social rent and shared equity opportunities to current and future residents. Building strong, safe and resilient communities – increasing resident satisfaction with neighbourhoods and communities. 4. Legal – conveyancing and legal advice associated with the CPO and transfer of Council owned properties and land within the masterplan boundary to Sanctuary Scotland in line with the overall agreement approved for the Paisley West End regeneration masterplan. 5. Property/Assets – removal of void properties from Council stock as detailed within the Regeneration masterplan. 6. Information Technology – none. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None relevant to Council services. 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – None relevant to Council services 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. COSLA Policy Position – none. 13. Climate Risk – none. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Report to Council on 20 April 2017: Paisley West End – Regeneration Masterplan. Report to Leadership Board on 19 September 2017: Paisley West End Regeneration Masterplan – Consultation Update. Report to Leadership Board on 12 December 2017: Paisley West End Regeneration.
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Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 29 October 2019: Paisley West End Regeneration Update Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 18 August 2020: Paisley West End: Regeneration Update Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 18 May 2021: Paisley West End – Housing Regeneration Update The foregoing background papers will be retained within Communities and Housing Services for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Ray Walkinshaw, Housing Regeneration and Development Manager, 07483 146814, ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk. ___________________________________________________________________
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Appendix – Paisley West End Masterplan Area