Decisions

This decision is taken under delegated powers set out in Paragraph 145 of the Officer Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s constitution, which grants delegated authority to undertake all action in order to regulate any actual, perceived or potential breach of any of the Town and Country Planning Legislation including:

(d) to determine whether or not to amend and/or withdraw any notice;
This authority has been delegated to me through the Local Scheme of Nomination for the Executive Director for Place

This decision is taken under delegated powers set out in Paragraph 145 of the Officer Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s constitution, which grants delegated authority to undertake all action in order to regulate any actual, perceived or potential breach of any of the Town and Country Planning Legislation including:

(f) to determine whether or not to take and/or to cease action whether because in his/her opinion the breach is trivial, there is insufficient demonstrable harm and/or, it is not expedient to take / continue to take action

This authority has been delegated to me through the Local Scheme of Nomination for the Executive Director for Place.

To issue an Enforcement Notice relating to land at E376510 N 128610 West Bourton Road to Depley Farm - Lane Bourton. The requirements of the Enforcement Notice are as follows:

·       Cease the use of the land for human habitation.

·       Remove from the land any caravans used or intended for human habitation.

·       Remove from the land any sheds or buildings used in association with the human habitation of the land, together with any other paraphernalia brought onto the land in association with the human habitation of the land.

·       Break up the concrete pad used to site the mobile home (caravan) and remove any resultant rubbish from the land.

·       Remove the sewage treatment plant from the land and backfill the resultant pit with soil sourced in the immediate area of the pit.

·       Restore the land, other than the area of hard standing, to its former condition by allowing the land to reseed naturally.

The decision to issue this Enforcement Notice is taken under delegated powers, as set out in paragraph 145 of the Officer Scheme of Delegation. These powers have been nominated to the below authorised officer.

This decision is taken under delegated powers set out in Paragraph 145 of the Officer Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s constitution, which grants delegated authority to undertake all action in order to regulate any actual, perceived or potential breach of any of the Town and Country Planning Legislation including:

(f) to determine whether or not to take and/or to cease action whether because in his/her opinion the breach is trivial, there is insufficient demonstrable harm and/or, it is not expedient to take / continue to take action

This authority has been delegated to me through the Local Scheme of Nomination for the Executive Director for Place.

Reason for the Decision

To bring a long-term empty property back into use and create a 3-bedroom family home in an area of high housing need.

Alternative Options considered and rejected

Take no action – without Council intervention it is very likely that the property will remain empty for the foreseeable future. The Council has a high demand for accommodation in this area.

Purchase the property and ‘back-to-back’ private sale - The Council has a high demand for affordable and temporary accommodation in this area and 25 Dawlish Crescent represents an ideal opportunity to further meet such demand.

Compulsory Purchase – the current owner has agreed to sell the property to the Council and therefore acquiring the property using Compulsory Purchase powers is not appropriate.

Empty Dwelling Management Order – this would require the Council to renovate the property, allocate tenants and manage the building for 7 years and then ‘hand it back’ to the current owner. As such this option does not offer long term value for money for the Council. The current owner has agreed to sell the property to the Council

Budget Implications

It is estimated that the buildings current market value in its current condition is in the region of £250,000.

It is proposed that the Council use capital ‘to bring a long-term empty property back into use’ to purchase and renovate the property.

Renovation and improvement costs to make the property decent and safe are estimated to be in the region of £50-60,000 subject to detailed inspection and specification.

Legal Implications

The Councils solicitors would handle the purchase of the property and it would be subject to the normal legal searches and building survey prior to exchange of contracts.

Any Conflict of Interest

None

Decision

The Portfolio Holder for Housing delegates to the Corporate Director for Housing to take all necessary steps to purchase and renovate the property known as 25 Dawlish Crescent, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9JN using the empty homes unapproved capital pot .