Progress Update
July 2009
VALLEY LODGE
We issued a note about Valley Lodge last April to Gravesham Borough Council, which was in response to various comments they had received from neighbours about the site. We are conscious that we have now reached the end of June and a start on site has not occurred and we will not in fact be starting in July. We have been keeping in contact with Gravesham Borough Council and they know our position.
Firstly, can I reiterate the point that was made in April this year and indeed on previous occasions that it is still the Society’s greatest wish to get Valley Lodge under way as we still have an empty site, not only causing concern for our neighbours but also costing considerable amounts of money in security. Indeed we have received an increase in complaints recently and are reviewing security arrangements at this time. It will be impossible to solve all the problems but we are committed to undertaking a review of the current situation. At present the internal body of the building is secured with proprietary shutters, is fully alarmed and regularly inspected by our security company.
We are now looking at installing additional security fencing around the main building, carrying out repairs to boundary fencing and providing more concrete obstruction blocks to reduce ingress to the site and buildings.
Can we reassure you that the delay in starting on site is not because of any lack of effort on our part. We have invested a considerable amount of time and money in getting ourselves in a position to start on site. The following is our position at present:
- Planning Consent is in place
- Detailed design has now been completed
- The project is out to tender as this very time and is due back in July
The hold up is the funding. We are still waiting to hear from the Government funding agency with regard to our grant bid. We have been told we will get a grant and that the bid has been accepted, but we have not received the final confirmation giving the specific amount. The grant was until recently administered by the Housing Corporation which is now divided into two bodies; the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Our funding comes through the HCA. At this time we are informed that the TSA have to confirm agreement to the HCA that we can proceed and this notification is awaited.
We are also currently speaking to the bank about our private finance arrangements but as you will appreciate, we cannot finalise this deal without knowing the exact level of our Social Housing Grant from the HCA.
We will endeavour to keep you informed of progress and would give you our firm assurance that we will continue to make all efforts possible to get this project started on site. It is our current number one priority to deliver this much needed accommodation to local older people in Gravesham. We have moved the project start date to October for our own internal planning processes. However please be clear this is not a firm date and will not become so until we have received notification of all our funding; government and private. If we have not made any further progress by October we will then review the situation and the project.
We hope this is information will be of assistance, you will be able to find this update and future updates on our website at www.abbeyfieldkent.org.
