Agenda item - Meridian Water Workstream - Update on Recommendations

Agenda item

Meridian Water Workstream - Update on Recommendations

To receive an update from officers regarding work arising from the scrutiny recommendations.

Minutes:

The panel received a report from Peter George, Programme Director Meridian Water, updating members on the next steps for the Meridian Water project. 

 

1.            Presentation

 

·         The report on the incomplete Meridian Water scrutiny workstream had only recently been produced.

·         Some clarification had been sought.

·         The review had focussed on the following themes: housing, affordability, density, employment, green open space and financial modelling. 

·         A community housing and local lettings plan will be published next Summer.  This will be the first opportunity for local people to bid for housing.

·         A registered provided framework was being put together.

·         Work on site on Meridian Water One would start in Spring 2021. 

·         An Environmental Sustainability Strategy had been approved confirming a 30% open space target.

·         Version 2 of the Masterplan was now subject to consultation and would be going to Cabinet for approval in 2021. Members were encouraged to contribute to the consultation. 

·         Work on delivering the 2 hectare Brooks Park and a children’s park would be begin in 2021. 

·         The site was not large enough to do everything that the Council wanted to, so choices would have to be made between density of housing, height of buildings and the amount of open space that could be provided. 

·         By 2023/4 it was planned that 450 new jobs would be created and an additional 500 people employed every year. 

 

2.            Questions/Comments

 

2.1       Support for the high quality report produced by the workstream and the view that many questions which had been raised were still outstanding.

 

2.2       Further information and a detailed rationale was sought on how all the different aspects of the projects were to be interlinked. 

 

2.3       There were difficult choices and trade offs to be made but no decisions had yet been taken.  Officers were aware of the strong views of local people and there would be comprehensive engagement and consultation before decisions were made.  It was intended that local people would be the main beneficiaries of the project. 

 

2.4       Financial modelling would be carried out to protect the Council’s investment.  A report would be produced later in 2021. 

 

2.5       Once the pandemic was under control the Council would be better able to assess its long-term impact.  It was likely however that the trend to work from home would not be reversed and this would be taken account of in the new developments.  Local community workspaces would also be provided. 

 

2.6       Edmonton was short of good quality open spaces and there was a need to provide them.  Thirty percent was proposed.  There would also be private open spaces within the housing blocks with safe play areas.

 

2.7       There would be family homes in Meridian Water One.  The exact proportion of affordable homes had not yet been decided.  This would be subject to planning.  There were still opportunities to express opinions.  It was likely however that the developments closer to the station would be of a higher density.  

 

The Chair thanked Peter George for his presentation.  A further update would be provided in March 2021. 

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