Item 10 - More Homes West Dunbartonshire – WDC Affordable Housing Supply Delivery Programme
West Dunbartonshire Council · 7 May 2025
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 7 May 2025 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer, Housing and Employability Housing and Communities Committee: 7 May 2025 __________________________________________________________________ Subject: More Homes West Dunbartonshire – West Dunbartonshire Council Affordable Housing Supply Delivery Programme 1. Purpose 1.1 This purpose of this report is to provide the Housing and Communities Committee an update on progress with West Dunbartonshire’s More Homes Programme which oversees the delivery of the Council’s new home building programme. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Housing and Communities Committee: (i) Notes the content of the report and the progress made to date in the delivery of the Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach, including the final handovers of 88 new Council homes at the zero carbon Clydebank East development which completes a significant housing led regeneration project; (ii) Invite the Chief Officer, Housing and Employability to carry out a procurement exercise and to subsequently award the contract up to budgeted costs for the new build developments at West Thomson Street, Clydebank and the next phase at Willox Park, Dumbarton. and; (iii) Notes the resource planning allocation of an initial £10.757m to West Dunbartonshire Council to deliver the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in 2025/26. 3. Background 3.1 In West Dunbartonshire the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) is delivered through a More Homes West Dunbartonshire strategic approach which has successfully delivered over one thousand new affordable homes in West Dunbartonshire to date and includes the Council’s own ambitious New House Building Programme. 3.2 The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2025-2030, outlining West Dunbartonshire’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme through the More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach was approved by the Housing and Communities Committee in November 2024. The SHIP outline plans to ITEM 10
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contribute to meet the Council Administration’s aim of delivering 2500 new affordable and social rented homes over the 10-year period 2022-2032. 4. Main Issues More Homes West Dunbartonshire - Delivery Programme 4.1 Building new affordable homes has an important role to play in revitalising local economies and assisting with post-pandemic and economic recovery plans, negating the impacts of the current cost of living crisis and combatting poverty principally child and fuel poverty. It is also clear that the need for affordable homes has and will increase in the current ongoing economic environment. 4.2 The Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach is an ambitious plan that aims to continue the positive momentum of the delivery of much needed Council homes in West Dunbartonshire and will significantly assist the Council’s aim to deliver 2500 new social and affordable homes by 2032. 4.3 As the biggest social housing developer in West Dunbartonshire, the Council has identified several development sites for new council homes to address existing and new housing need. The design of these homes will further develop, improve, and exceed current best practice, providing sustainable homes using innovative technology and delivering on our low carbon ambitions including Passivhaus and other net zero carbon opportunities. 4.4 The Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach has evidenced strong support from council tenants and was recently highlighted as one of the two key future spending priority areas for tenants through the comprehensive tenant satisfaction survey undertaken in late 2024. 4.5 The Strategic Housing Investment Plan and HRA Capital Plan outlined the plans the Council have for meeting their new build ambitions. An update on each development site is provide below: - Clydebank East: This development has now completed and has delivered eighty-eight new homes designed to meet the urgent housing need within the wider West Dunbartonshire area. The table below shows the housing mix: House Type Sustainability Standard Number of New Homes Wheelchair Bungalow 3bed/4person Net Zero 3 House 3bed/5person Net Zero 15 House 4 bed/7person Net Zero 12 House 5 bed/8 person Net Zero 8 Wheelchair Cottage Flat 1bed/2 person Net Zero 4
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Cottage Flat 2 bed/4 person Net Zero 4 Flat 1 bed/2person Net Zero 16 Flat 2 bed/4 person Net Zero 24 Wheelchair Flat 1 bed/2person Net Zero 2 The development at Clydebank East sees the completion of a major housing led regeneration of a key priority regeneration area identified in the Local Housing Strategy and will be the first fully zero carbon housing development in West Dunbartonshire and marks a significant milestone in our transition to net zero new homes approved at the August 2022 meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee. The Practical completion was completed on time and handed over on 11th April 2025 with the project delivering within project budget. Pappert, Bonhill This construction element of this development commenced in early March 2025, delivering the housing mix as follows: - House Type Sustainability Standard Number of New Homes House 3bed/5 person Passivhaus 6 House 3bed/5 person Net Zero 6 House 4bed/6person Net Zero 4 House 4bed/7person Net Zero 1 Flat 2bed/3person w/c Net Zero 3 Flat 1 bed/2person Net Zero 6 The development is currently meeting all delivery targets and will be completed in Summer 2025 with the first handovers planned for 28th April 2025. Mount Pleasant, Old Kilpatrick The site started on 15th April 2024 and construction was planned to last approximately eighteen months. This is a 19-unit complex which is designed for elderly residents and will deliver exemplar high quality amenity housing, the housing mix is outlined below for information. The site completion is scheduled for the 8th May 2025. House Type Sustainability Standard Number of New Homes Bungalow 1bed/2person Net Zero 3 Flat 1bed/2person w/c Net Zero 4 Flat 1bed/2person Net Zero 4 Flat 2bed/4person Net Zero 8
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Willox Park, Doveholm, Dumbarton The development of seventeen new homes for the elderly at a former care home site is Phase 1 of the wider regeneration programme for Willow Park and will comprise of the housing mix below. House Type Sustainability Standard Number of New Homes Flat 2bed/3person Net Zero 2 Flat 1 bed/2person Net Zero 15 McTaggart Construction have been onsite since November 2024 with a 52 week build program, with the first handovers of Phase 1 due in December this year. The net zero heat strategy will be delivered via a ground source heat pump, as it was felt that this solution to be preferable than an air source heat pump for each individual home. Current tenants at Willox Park have been consulted throughout the design process and this has continued with the contractor holding Q&A sessions. We are currently working with the existing tenants to ensure they have an up- to-date housing application live to make sure the process of moving into the new facility as easy and streamlined as possible. The further phases of the regeneration works are a phased demolition programme of the existing homes within the Willox Park sheltered housing complex and the development of a minimum 20 new one-bedroom cottages to replace the demolished homes. To achieve this outcome, we require to undertake a procurement exercise and award of the contracts up to the budgeted value within the future new build and related regeneration project line in the approved Housing Revenue Account Capital Investment Programme. Bonhill Gap Site Strategy House Size Sustainability Standard Number of New Homes 1bed wheelchair Net Zero 4 1 bed general needs Net Zero 16 2 bed wheelchair Net Zero 3 3 bed general needs Net Zero 3 4 bed general needs Net Zero 2 5 bed general needs Net Zero 4 7 bed general needs Net Zero 2 Planning has been granted for all sites. CCG have been successful in winning the tender for the Campbell St and Braehead development sites. The tender cost was returned far below the estimated cost of the development. It
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was estimated that the construction of these two sites would be in the region of £9.7million. The tender return was £6.98 million. We are currently assessing the returned tenders for the remaining 6 units proposed for O’Hare as part of this wider development. Bank Street, Alexandria The development will consist of twenty-two sheltered/amenity housing units in partnership with the HSCP. Planning has been submitted and approved. House Type Sustainability Standard Number of New Homes Flat 1bed/2person w/c Net Zero 22 Communal Room Net Zero 1 Staff Office Net Zero 1 The contract for this project has been awarded to the JR Group. This tender return has returned a development price of £5.375m against an estimated cost of £7.79million. Similar to the development at Willox Park, existing tenants at Gray Street have been consulted throughout the design process and will be assisted to make the transition to the new facility as smooth as possible. West Thomson Street (former Clydebank Health Centre site) Demolitions of the former health centre building was completed in late 2024. Having received the feasibility report for the site, the Council plans to develop 20+ units of sheltered/amenity housing to potentially reprovision or expand existing sheltered housing provided at Young Street, therefore strategically improving the provision of older persons accommodation within Clydebank. We also aim to build additional family housing as part of the wider development. Tenants at Young Street have been consulted on the proposition of developing a new sheltered complex on the old Clydebank Health Centre site. This was met with a largely positive reaction and consultation with tenants, staff and other stakeholders will continue throughout the design process. A future consultation of the proposal is set up for Young Street Residents and the wider community on the 30th April. A multidisciplinary design team, led by Collective Architecture, who carried out the feasibility study, have been appointed through the Scottish Procurement Alliance framework to carry forward the above-mentioned site proposal designs. They have begun the pre-application for Planning process along with relevant consultation exercises. Therefore, we now require to carry out a wider procurement exercise to award and appoint a main contractor to deliver
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the new build development at West Thomson Street, Clydebank within the agreed programme budget. Proposed Housing Mix: House Type Type Number of New Homes Terraced House 3 bed 5 person 4 Terraced House 4 bed 6 person 5 Terraced House 5 bed 7 person 2 Cottage Flat 1 bed 2 person 2 Cottage Flat 3 bed 5 person 2 Sheltered/Amenity Flat 1 bed 2 person 27 Gilmour Avenue, Hardgate As part of the wider development of our Clydebank Gap Site strategy, the Council identified a Housing Revenue Account site in the Hardgate area at Gilmour Avenue. The site was previously the location of timber garages on concrete bases. These have long since been demolished and the site has been beset with fly tipping issues for several years. The development started on site on 23/9/2024 and had a completion date of 14/2/25. However, on the 3rd January 2025, Connect Modular, the main contractor unfortunately entered administration. The Council is now working towards the appointment of a new contractor and are aiming to complete the homes in May. The homes have been delivered on site and are over 80% completed. The Council has secured the site. Dennystoun Forge Gypsy/Traveller Site The project has been scored and assessed as a priority in the new SHIP 2025 -2030, with a proposed site start in 2026/27. Our in-house design team and procurement colleagues are supporting Housing to detail our plans. Engagement is continuous and positive with the Dennystoun Forge community. Our focus remains on decant options, where we are engaging with other Council teams on the possible use of an identified alternative site for decanting during the works, and on procurement, where we have consulted with other local authorities with experience of similar projects. The decant arrangements have thrown up a series of questions which we will be discussing with the community. While the costs for the decant site are likely to be high, overall, we expect a saving to be achieved through giving the eventual works contractor free access to the Dennystoun Forge site. We have had positive dialogue with the Scottish Government and discussions will continue at a meeting on 12th May regarding the Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Fund to become part of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
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Queen Mary Avenue, Clydebank (Clydebank Gap Sites) Proposed Housing Mix House Type Type Number of New Homes Cottage Flat 1 bed 2 person 10 Wheelchair Cottage Flat 2 bed 3 person 1 Cottage Flat 3 bed 4 person 1 Terraced House 3 bed 6 person 3 Semi Detached 4 bed 8 person 2 A main contractor CCG has been appointed for the delivery of the proposed 17 new homes. The Council has started the pre-application planning process and planning was submitted in March. The team are working towards a start date on site of October 2025. Silverton Regeneration The demolition for the 2 identified sites in Smollett Road and Dumbuie Avenue has now been completed. We are currently developing a design proposal and will carry out a feasibility assessment. Queens Quay, Site C, Clydebank The Council has been developing a design to deliver a projected twenty units on this site to complement the housing mix within sites A and B. This development will also be designed to meet low/zero carbon principles and linked to the Queens Quay district heating network. . Pre-planning response was received on the 25 February highlighting concern of the WDC development proceeding in isolation. We have adopted a proactive response to this issue and have developed masterplan diagrams incorporating the surrounding sites and have conducted valuations on the adjacent site to Queens Quay C with a view to purchasing additional land to deliver more affordable housing in the Queens Quay regeneration site. If this is achieved, we would seek to develop a mixed tenure approach to any expanded development site delivering one hundred new affordable homes. We are seeking discussion with CRL (Clydeside Regeneration Limited) to progress the possibility of acquiring this additional land and will be able to draw down Scottish Government grant to enable this. However, because of the uncertainties surrounding potential delivery timescales for this project and the reduced funding it is no longer allocated funding within the current Strategic Housing Investment Programme. Buyback Programme Total number of properties purchased in 2024/25 financial year 33 Total Purchase Value £3,103,000
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4.6 In 2024/25 the Council’s Annual Resource Planning Assumption (RPA) from the Scottish Government supporting the delivery of the SHIP was reduced to £8.167m which represented a cut of around 24%. However, for 2025/26 the RPA has been increased to a minimum of £10.757m this will significantly assist in the delivery of the Council’s SHIP. 4.7 The Housing Development Team are continuously looking for opportunities to provide additional new build council homes and will bring any potential site to the Housing and Communities Committee with as much information as possible as part of the regular More Homes update paper. 5. People Implications 5.1 The delivery of the More Homes delivery programme is managed through existing resource within the Housing Development & Homelessness team funded from the Housing Capital Investment Programme. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications Financial 6.1 The Council has to date delivered 584 new homes for social rent; these additional homes bring council tax revenue of around £810k per year to West Dunbartonshire Council. The new homes also bring in around £3m of annual rental income to the Housing Revenue Account. 6.2 On 5 March 2025 supported by tenant representatives the Council approved the Housing Capital Programme 2025-2030 which saw significant resources committed to the delivery of new council homes in West Dunbartonshire. A net expenditure budget of £69m for the affordable housing supply programme is factored into the HRA Capital Programme. As it currently stands, it is anticipated that this programme will complete on project life budget. 6.3 Housing and Finance Officers will continue to assess the ongoing affordability of future developments within the context of the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan. Procurement PROPERTY SIZE PURCHASED 6 apt 1 5 apt 3 4 apt 12 3 apt 5 2 apt 12
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6.4 All new development sites will be subject to new detailed procurement strategies and the opportunities highlighted within 4.5 of this report will continue to be prioritised. Where the contract award is less than £213,000, authority is delegated to the Chief Officer in consultation with the Procurement Manager to instruct the award of contracts for the planned revenue and capital spend detailed in this report to suppliers providing the most economically advantageous offer to the Council. 6.5 All procurement activity conducted by the Council more than £2m is. subject to a contract strategy. The contract strategy for new housing development within the HRA Capital Programme will be developed by the Corporate Procurement Unit in consultation with Housing Development Officers. The contract strategy will include, but is not limited to; contract scope, service forward plan, the market, procurement model and routes – including existing delivery vehicles, roles and responsibilities, risks, issues and opportunities and on-going contract management. Opportunities to maximise the positive social, economic, and environmental impact for the Council through the relevant procurement processes will be developed in line with procurement policy. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 All Council new build projects have their own Risk Register which highlights the risk within and out-with the project team’s control. These are maintained and adjusted on an on-going basis. 7.2 With any new build project there is a risk that as the projects develop the cost increases beyond the estimated contract cost. Any additional borrowing requirements, or conversely, cost savings will be reported to future meetings of the Housing and Communities Committee. However, this is mitigated through a target cost model approach in our current contract arrangements within the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) framework and Scotland Excel. 8 Environmental Sustainability 8.1 The delivery of new homes is within the approved More Homes zero carbon approach. Our current and future approach to strategic housing asset management will continue to prioritise a ‘zero carbon’ approach to decision making and deliverability and this will be done the aims of the Housing Asset Management Strategy and the Council’s Climate Change Strategy. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 The proposal does not alter any existing policy or pattern of service delivery and so is not considered to require an equalities impact assessment. 10. Consultation
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10.1 As part of a rent consultation exercise, 92% of respondents indicated their support for the Council’s ambitious plans to deliver the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) new council house build programme. In addition, there was positive support for the wider delivery of new build housing as part of the Local Housing Strategy consultation. Regular updates on new build development are provided to the West Dunbartonshire Tenants and Residents Organisation at the bi-monthly liaison meetings. 11. Strategic Assessment 11.1 The Local Housing Strategy is the overarching document setting out the strategic direction for housing across all tenures and informs the future investment in housing and related services across West Dunbartonshire. 11.2 Having considered all the Council’s strategic priorities, this report, and the provision of new supply social housing for rent contributes greatly to all the Council’s strategic priorities. Peter Barry Chief Officer, Housing and Employability Date: 23 April 2025 Person to Contact: John Kerr – Housing Development and Homelessness Manager, Housing Development and Homelessness Team, Housing and Employability, telephone: 07793717981, email: john.kerr@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Mikayla Deeley, Senior Housing Development Officer, Housing Development and Homelessness Team, Housing and Employability: email mikayla.deeley@west- dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: None Background Papers: West Dunbartonshire Council’s Local Housing Strategy West Dunbartonshire Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan Local Housing Strategy, Health Inequalities Impact Assessment Wards Affected: All