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Administrative timetable

Request from LBBD

17 October 2024: The SAU has accepted a request for a report from LBBD concerning the proposed subsidy to BDHL. This request relates to a Subsidy of Particular Interest.

The SAU will prepare a report, which will provide an evaluation of the LBBDs assessment of whether the subsidy complies with the subsidy control requirements (Assessment of Compliance). The SAU will complete its report within 30 working days.

Information about the subsidy provided by LBBD

LBBD proposes to award a subsidy to Barking & Dagenham Homes Ltd (BDHL).

The proposed subsidy aims to meet the policy objective to increase the affordable housing supply within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham to overcome the market failure of under provision and deliver associated social equity benefits.

The subsidy is derived from the provision of a low interest loan to the beneficiary enabling the beneficiary to lease the homes from the Council and ensure their effective management. The difference between the interest rate that BDHL will pay to LBBD Council for the low-interest loan and the interest rate that BDHL would have had to pay to another institution in the commercial market results in a subsidy with an estimated value of 291,690,711. Given that the proposed subsidy exceeds 10 million it qualifies as a Subsidy and Scheme of Particular Interest (SSoPI) under the UK Subsidy Control Regime.

Within this proposed subsidy are a collection of housing developments totalling 569 affordable homes that have either been completed since 4th January 2023, or will be completed in the coming months. There is a clear market failure and equity rational for supporting this much needed affordable housing in the borough.

Mechanisms included in the lease and loan structure ensure that the interest rate remains under review and can be varied upwards should the beneficiary generate higher than anticipated levels of profit. This will ensure that the subsidy remains at the lowest level possible for the lifetime of the loan.Information for third parties

If you wish to comment on matters relevant to the SAUs evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance concerning the subsidy to BDHL, please send your comments before 5pm on the date stipulated in the timetable above. For guidance on representations relevant to the Assessment of Compliance, see the section on reporting period and transparency in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.

Please send your submissions to us at sau-barkinganddagenhamhomes2024@cma.gov.uk, copying the public authority: businessforum@lbbd.gov.uk. Please also provide a contact address and explain in what capacity you are making the submission (for example, as an individual or a representative of a business or organisation).

Notes to third parties wishing to make a submission

The SAU will only take your submission into account if it can be shared with the LBBD. The SAU will send a copy of your submission to the LBBD together with its report. This is to allow the public authority to take account of the submission in its decision as to whether to grant or modify the subsidy or its assessment. We therefore ask that you provide express consent for your full and unredacted submission to be shared. We also encourage you to share your submission directly with the LBBD using the email address provided above.

The SAU may use the information you provide in its published report. Therefore, you should indicate in your submission whether any specified parts of it are commercially confidential. If the SAU wishes to refer in its published report to material identified as confidential, it will contact you in advance.

For further details on confidentiality of third party submissions, see identifying confidential information in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.

Contacts

• SAU project team: sau-barkinganddagenhamhomes2024@cma.gov.uk
• CMA press team: 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk