Lambeth Council has loaned a further £5.5 million to its wholly-owned house building company, added to £5 million loaned last year. It comes as a progress report on Homes for Lambeth’s business plan for 2020-23, approved by cabinet on March 15, stated a lack of resident support was a “likely” risk to its regeneration programme. The council’s controversial programme, run by HfL, is focused on six estates, including Westbury, Knights Walk, South Lambeth, Central Hill, Cressingham Gardens, and Fenwick. The loaned money is expected to be paid back out of “project surpluses”, profit made from the new homes. But the Green opposition, who are against the demolition of the estates, have warned it is a risky strategy and HfL could end up like Croydon’s failing housing company Brick by Brick.
An extra £1.5 million is set to be added to the council tax support scheme for 2022/23, which is expected to reduce bills for 7,000 eligible households “with most of those seeing their bill reduced to nil”. At the council meeting the leader of the opposition, Green Cllr Jonathan Bartley, reiterated his concerns that the added support would not come into effect until 2022/23 and that the council plans to raise funds through enforcement. Cllr Andy Wilson, cabinet member for finance and performance, previously said there is a precedent for having to go through a long consultation before the extra support is introduced. But he said between now and the outcome of the consultation the council is putting forward funding to “essentially create the same amount of relief for residents as they would receive under the new council tax support scheme”.
A daffodil farm at Long Rock has been granted planning permission for 49 caravans for staff Operators of a daffodil farm that picks 500 million flowers a year have been given planning permission for caravans to provide accommodation for workers – despite claims it was effectively a new village within a village. Varfell Farm at Long Rock had applied for permission for 49 caravans, which have been placed alongside caravans already on site for staff. Cornwall Council’s west sub-area planning committee agreed to grant permission for the caravans but said that it should be limited to ten years and also called on the operators to set up a liaison group with local residents and Ludgvan Parish Council.