Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting and noted apologies as above.

Members declared interests regarding schemes in their own council areas.

Cllr Frost declared an interest in item 7 as a trustee of the Civic Building.

None.

None.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2022 be approved.

The Assistant Director of Housing & Infrastructure informed Members that the MCA Board had considered and approved the South Yorkshire Housing Framework at its January meeting.

RESOLVED that the Action Log be noted.

The Board was asked to consider progressing business cases for 4 investment proposals which would support the MCA’s aspirations.

The Manchester Road Community Hub and Placemaking schemes (Sheffield CC) were seeking progression from Strategic Business Case (SBC) to Full Business Case (FBC). The Community Hub would include a library, community spaces, educational areas and office space. The Placemaking scheme would upgrade local car parking, improve accessibility and revitalise the shop frontages as well as improve the perceptions of the Town.

The Goldthorpe Pre-1919 project (Barnsley MBC) was also requesting progression from SBC to FBC. This would demolish approximately 40 low quality properties and deliver 11 new build, low carbon, affordable homes for social rent.

Grimm & Co, a children’s literacy charity, had submitted an FBC for approval of £0.62m grant funding to contribute to the renovation of a church in Rotherham Town Centre. This funding would cover cost increases and allow the project to go ahead.

Barnsley Civic Eldon Street Capital Development had submitted an FBC for approval of £1.26m grant funding to redevelop the Civic building, attract more people to become involved in cultural activities and accelerate the renewal of Barnsley town centre.

Following late notice from Government that additional levelling up funds could be available for regeneration activity, the Board was asked to note that the MCA had identified ‘delivery ready’ projects which it was proposed to accelerate straight to the MCA Board on 6 March, including:

·       West Bar, Sheffield

·       Rotherham Libraries and Markets

·       Market Gate Bridge, Barnsley

·       Doncaster Waterfront.

If it was not possible to take these schemes to the SYMCA Board for approval, delegated authority would be sought to enable a timely decision to be taken, either through the Housing & Infrastructure Board in March or via Co-Chairs and Head of Paid Service.

In response to questions, it was clarified that these schemes were already well advanced and known to SYMCA, so in cases where Gainshare grant may have originally been earmarked for the projects then the use of this additional Government funding would free up Gainshare grant to be used on other activity. If projects were not ready to be approved in March then the approval process for each scheme would be looked at on a case by case basis.

RESOLVED that the Board approve:

1.   Progression of “Manchester Road Community Hub project and Manchester Road Placemaking” project from SBC to OBC/FBC (Outline/Full Business Case) for Sheffield City Council (SCC).

2.   Progression of “Goldthorpe Housing Project” from SBC to OBC/FBC for Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (BMBC)

3.   Approval of £0.62m Gainshare grant award to Grimm & Co Ltd for the “Grimm & Co” project.

4.   Approval of £1.26m grant award to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (BMBC) for the “Barnsley Civic” project.

5.   Consider and endorse the approach for projects detailed in 2.5 which may be ready to take up additional Government funding and are proposed to go directly to the MCA for a decision on funding on the 6th of March 2023.

6.   Approval for delegated authority to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81.

The Senior Development Manager (Development & Planning) presented an item on a proposed Residential Design Charter (RDC) for South Yorkshire.

The MCA had been working with local authorities to explore opportunities to update the South Yorkshire Residential Design Guide (SYRDG), published in 2011, as well as other joint working to ensure up to date and consistent approaches to raising the quality of new residential developments across the region.

Concerns had been raised during discussions with local authority Heads of Planning due to the timing. It was felt that undertaking an update of the SYRDG at this time would not be an effective use of resources in the current economic climate given the uncertainties around emerging planning reforms as well as budget and resource implications. A RDC was proposed as an alternative which could be progressed at pace with minimal cost and resource implications. Various associated activities were also suggested to support the implementation and raise awareness. The next steps would be to set up a working group of local authority and MCA officers to develop a more detailed brief and clarify resource implications.

He added that the RDC was not intended to replace the SYRDG but would be an intermediate measure promoting a consistent approach to common design issues. An update of the SYRDG would be kept under review to progress in future.

While the Board supported the idea in principle, it was felt that to ensure its success an RDC should have sufficient weight to assist local planning authorities in seeking improvements to poorly designed proposals and to support decisions to refuse planning applications on design grounds. Members requested that the working group explore where responsibility for monitoring and applying the RDC would sit and how best to enforce it.

RESOLVED that the Board endorse the preparation of a Residential Design Charter and associated activities.

The Board received an update on the key work areas and outputs from the South Yorkshire One Public Estate Programme (OPE) and the recently commissioned OPE South Yorkshire Public Land and Asset Review.

Doncaster MBC was the lead authority for OPE, chairing the PAD Group which oversaw the programme and reporting to the Housing & Infrastructure Board. The Government initiative provided revenue funding and promoted collaborative working between public sector bodies to make the best use of the public estate.The most recent annual OPE funding is being used to fund Masterplanning and related activities for a number of smaller towns within South Yorkshire, which is establishing a pipeline of projects to address regeneration in these areas.

In delivering the programme, several projects had been delivered under budget or did not go ahead, leading to an underspend. The PAD Group had agreed to use this underspend to carry out a South Yorkshire Public Land and Asset Review. The commission would review the collective public land supply and assets and to develop the information and tools needed to manage them more proactively and efficiently. The aim was to identify how public land and assets could be better harnessed in support of strategic outcomes.

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.    Noted the progress and outputs of the OPE Programme to date;

2.    Notes the commencement of the OPE Public Land and Asset Review Commission.

(The Assistant Director of Economy and Development, Doncaster MBC left the meeting.)

The Strategic Marketing Manager informed the Board of the planned South Yorkshire presence at the UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREIIF).

UKREIIF is a 3 day event which will take place in May 2023. Exhibition space had been secured for a South Yorkshire presence where it is planned to present the investible propositions within the region. A programme of meetings, showcase and speaker roles with partners and organisations is also being considered.

Work to redevelop the South Yorkshire investment and regeneration proposition was underway and Board involvement would be welcomed in this as well at the event itself. 

ACTION: The Strategic Marketing Manager to provide a progress update on preparations for UKREIIF at the next meeting.

ACTION: The Strategic Marketing Manager to contact the Private Sector Co-Chair to discuss her involvement in UKREIIF.

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.   Noted the plans for a UKREIIF event in May 2023 and the local partner support for South Yorkshire participation.

2.   Agreed for further discussions to be had with HIB Board members wishing to participate in UKREIIF

The Chair asked whether the Board would be involved in or informed of the progress of the independent inquiry to protect strategic infrastructure which had been recently announced by the Mayor.

ACTION: The Assistant Director of Housing & Infrastructure to confirm the role of the Board in the independent inquiry to protect strategic infrastructure and report back.

RESOLVED that the Forward Plan be noted.

As there was no further business to discuss the Chair thanked all for their attendance and contributions and closed the meeting.