Stoke-on-Trent City Council

At a special Planning Committee meeting on 2026-04-29, the Goodwin site expansion was approved in principle subject to planning conditions and a Section 106 agreement. Key outcomes include a £40,000 open-space contribution to mitigate loss of green space, strict noise limits with monitoring, highway improvements funded via Section 278, net addition of 47 parking spaces, and expected employment growth of 15–20 skilled roles; the plan includes temporary B8 storage units and mitigation to align with the adjacent Jubilee Building.

The Stoke-on-Trent City Council Cabinet discussed five procurement/finance-focused items: (1) Adult Social Care provider fee uplifts within a £94.3m ASC budget, with £7.12m allocated for uplifts; (2) Bentley Nursery School’s future delivery model, repurposing the site for specialist SEND and early years provision; (3) Pride in Place rounds funding (£20m per area for three areas, plus ~£1.5m citywide) with resident-led boards; (4) Adoption of a five-year sexual and reproductive health strategy; and (5) Biosafety improvements to high-rise blocks funded by a £4.65m Homes England grant. Several decisions require formal approval, and governance emphasises resident involvement and budget discipline across social care, housing, education, and health spend.”

The Planning Committee discussed the Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) and the Local Plan timetable. Key signals: (1) five-year housing land supply is not currently adequate, with a deliverable supply around 3.7 years and a 5% buffer, and a Regulation 19 process leading to a December 2026 inspection deadline; (2) planning obligations awarded during the monitoring year total just under £700k for infrastructure (notably Scotia Road), indicating upcoming procurement of infrastructure works tied to development; (3) brownfield-led development remains dominant at 77% of completions, underscoring planning-policydriven emphasis and implications for site access and highway considerations. These points frame future procurement planning, housing policy, and local plan delivery timelines.

The meeting disclosed large-scale transport and regeneration funding, signalling imminent procurement activity. Key points include over £100m secured for transport across Stoke and Staffordshire with multi-faceted allocations (roads, local streets, walking/cycling, bus infrastructure, EV charging) and a 2026-onward programme. A separate Pride in Place funding of £20m will be allocated via community-led decisions, creating regeneration procurement opportunities, while governance changes point to potential cross-authority contracts through a foundational strategic authority.

Key procurement and governance actions were discussed, notably: (1) approving procurement of a nonprofit specialist loan provider to administer housing renewal loans; (2) extending CHIC materials call-offs for repairs; (3) establishing two four-year procurement frameworks for external doors/canopies and for aids/adaptations; (4) awarding a major refurbishment contract for two high-rise blocks with contractor and consultancy support; (5) introducing delegated authority to procure and award contracts for major projects to improve efficiency. Together, these signals indicate a push to accelerate housing stock improvements, streamline procurement processes, and align transport/infrastructure planning with delivery needs.

The Planning Committee discussed two procurement-relevant planning items. Item 5 (Pinest Street, Shelton) is a hybrid demolition plus outline residential development for up to 141 homes, with major brownfield regeneration, off-site highway improvements, and Section 106 requirements; Homes England funding of up to £10,000,000 was noted as a positive weight. The scheme was recommended for approval subject to conditions, including the 106 agreement. Item 6 (Birches Head) concerns a retrospective change of use of a bungalow to a residential care home for one child; officers recommended approval, with local resident concerns and police consultation noted but no objections. The vote on item 5 passed in favour, followed by a separate decision on item 6 approving the retrospective care home use with a cap of one child.