Agenda item

To receive a presentation from the Head of Regeneration, Old Kent Road, on the delivery of regeneration in the Old Kent Road opportunity area.  This forms part of the committee’s scrutiny review of regeneration in Southwark.

Link to additional information contained on the Old Kent Road website https://oldkentroad.org.uk/

This item was considered in conjunction with item 5.

The committee received a presentation from Chris Porter, Major Projects Manager in TfL City Planning, and Beth Havelock, TfL Spatial Planning Team on delivering transport and good growth in the London Borough of Southwark.

The committee then received a presentation from Colin Wilson, Head of Regeneration (Old Kent Road) on the Old Kent Road opportunity area.  Also in attendance were Tim Cutts, Senior Regeneration Manager and Pip Howson, Transport Policy Team Leader.

Following the presentations, questions were asked and discussion held around the following:

·  Pace of delivery of consented homes.

·  Reliance on too few developers.

·  Affordability of new homes in Old Kent Road opportunity area.

·  Working with developers and housing associations connected with cladding issues not undertaking remedial work.

·  Engagement with residents and businesses (particularly industrial businesses).

·  Deliverability of regeneration in light Brexit and HS2 impact on labour market materials.

·  Demand around different property size, one to two, versus three to four bedroom.

·  Sustainable homes and green spaces and suitability for a future climate.

·  Future provision of car (electric car) and cycle spaces in new developments.

·  Government’s proposals for planning reform, in particular changes to Section106 and Community Infrastructure Levy into a proposed single levy, and whether there has been any assessment of these potential reforms and impact on long term planning, and potential for developers with planning permission to come back and renegotiate if the single levy is introduced.

·  Certainty of Bakerloo Line Extension being delivered and impact on current plans if extension does not happen – impact on affordable housing levels in schemes and residents in the newly built homes being able to commute.

·  Access to green space

·  Delivery on the positive social outputs, and managing risk relating to matters that the local authority can control (discounting external factors).

·  Installation of heating technologies (gas boiler alternatives) fit for the future and rainwater harvesting systems.

·  Delivery of strategy being informed by current politics of the Mayor, and threat to political strategy due to financial challenges to TfL.

·  Providing carbon neutral transport infrastructure.

·  Innovative ways for decreasing transport pollution along Old Kent Road.

·  Plans for extra buses in light of financial agreements relating to buses in planning applications.

·  Whether there are alternative plans if Bakerloo Line Extension is not delivered (Plan B).

·  Level of consultation and engagement with communities by TfL.