Issue - meetings

Cabinet received a report on the Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), a new £2.3 Billion national infrastructure investment programme designed to unlock the delivery of up to 100,000 new homes in areas of high demand in England. The HIF has two distinct funding elements with the Forward Fund aimed at unlocking large strategic housing growth opportunities and the Marginal Viability Fund focused on the delivery of smaller housing development sites.

The report highlighted two viable Forward Fund proposals, being an investment proposition for the established Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal initiative, and another for South Lancaster based on recently secured national Garden Village status. It was noted that the government required authorities submitting more than one scheme were required to rank them. It was agreed that the City Deal scheme would be ranked first, given the already existing governance and structural arrangements in place.

Resolved: That

  i.  the development of two potential Forward Fund EOIs, one for the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal initiative with another in support of South Lancaster be approved

  ii.  £50,000 from the County Council’s Transitional Reserve be provided to support the development of proposed EOI case-making.

  iii.  both Forward Fund proposals should be submitted, with the City Deal EOI being ranked first.

  iv.  the Leader of the County Council, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Environment and Planning, and the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be authorised to finalise the County Council’s EOI submissions, in consultation with the Director of Economic Development and S151 Officer.