Decision details

The approved HRA Development Programme approved at Full Council in February 2024 included the purchase of affordable homes (AH) from Goram and their LLP partners at Baltic Wharf and Hengrove Phase 1B. It is now proposed to remove these two developments from the programme.
Following a review of the current HRA Business Plan this Notice reflects that there needs to be a reduction in the development programme to address in year and future capital pressures, particularly those associated with addressing the Consumer Standards Regulatory Judgement from the Housing Regulator. Goram have confirmed positive interest from the City’s HomesWest Registered Provider (RP) partners in the affordable housing on offer.
Removal of these two schemes from the HRA development programme supports a reduction in the capital delivery programme but does not reduce the number of affordable homes secured for the City.
Goram Homes have confirmed that the AH on offer at Baltic Wharf will be in accordance with the mix of units secured at Planning. There may be opportunities for the RP to acquire additional homes with funding.
Goram have also confirmed they will offer the homes at Hengrove 1b on the same tenure split as provisionally agreed with the HRA. The affordable housing tenure split secured though planning will not change. The unit mix for the additional funded homes will be dependent of viability for the RP housing provider and Goram, as would have been the case for the HRA as it entered into detailed scheme appraisal and negotiations for the units. The delivery of social rent homes remains a priority for all AH providers in the City.
Goram have confirmed they will use the Development Agreement with the RP to secure the allocation of any social rented homes through the Council’s HomeChoice system and in accordance with the prevailing Allocation Scheme and HomeChoice Partnership agreement.

To approve the removal of the named GORAM sites ' Baltic Wharf and Hengrove Phase 1B' not yet in contract from the HRA business plan.

Option 1 - The options considered were to remove other identified projects from the Development programme, but this would lead to a reduction in the number of affordable homes in the city, as those schemes would or could only be delivered by the council, or to continue as per the original programme, but this would result in a significant financial risk to the HRA.