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Appendix A: Condition Survey, Existing Building (Inclusion Zone) Following a submission to Donegall Pass Community Forum in March 2008, Consarc Design Group and epec were commissioned to undertake a Concept & Envisioning Feasibility Study for the redevelopment of the ”Inclusion Zone” site which is located at the junction of Donegall Pass and Conduit Street. The concept study has been funded by Belfast City Council through its ‘Neighbourhood Economic Development Programme’, and the intention of the study is to position the project for further development and funding. The report will address the context and background of the project. Much work has already been carried out by the Donegall Pass Forum, and other initiatives in the community are already underway or recently completed, notably the study and report Donegall Pass: Towards a Sustainable Community (June 2008). The above study was funded by the Belfast Local Strategy Partnership through the special support programme for Peace and Reconciliation, in partnership with Queens University Belfast. This is a valuable and complementary support document to this concept study. The report addresses a range of options for the site, and sifts these options, culminating in a preferred model which best addresses the client’s aspirations and objectives. The importance of creating, embracing the low carbon design initiative has been addressed, and a discussion document for sustainable measures included as an appendix to the report. It its intended that this document is reviewed as the project progresses. We were conscious that any future project is likely to depend on funding from central government and other bodies, and therefore our approach was to offer a proposed building model which is flexible and can cope with future community needs and market demands. Best practice models have been studied and some are included in this project. The design proposals are described and illustrated. A preliminary cost plan and estimate is included. The existing Inclusion Zone building is located at the junction of Donegall Pass and Conduit Street, in the Shaftesbury Ward in Belfast. The Shaftesbury Ward is recognised as an area of Social Need. However as the area lies between the city centre and South Belfast there is a, largely unrealised, commercial potential, evidenced by office buildings and restaurants. The area is also a focus for the Chinese community in Belfast. Constructed in c. 1910, the building has had a number of uses, from school, to church, to youth club, but has deteriorated significantly in recent years and is something of an eyesore in its present state. Appendix A to this report is a record of the condition of the building on 1st May 2008. The Donegall Pass Community Forum is presently located on the 3rd floor of Grove House, Donegall Pass. Formed in 1996, the Forum’s purpose is to facilitate and represent groups and agencies to further the regeneration of the Donegall Pass area and enhance the quality of life of all the people of the area. Four full-time and one part-time staff are employed in the Forum. Belfast City Council, through its various initiatives, including the Neighbourhood Economic Development Programme, is keen to support development proposals which define, consolidate and enhance the neighbourhoods which make up the city. Belfast City Council is therefore acting as a catalyst for community focused and sustainable development that can regenerate key issues. The existing building, located at the junction of Donegall Pass and Conduit Street, has had numerous uses through its life. In recent years the building has deteriorated dramatically and has fallen into a state of disrepair. Large holes in the slate roof cover are evident and this has allowed rainwater ingress, in particular to the main hall located at first floor level. The costs to refurbish and restore this existing building would be significant. Our Quantity Surveyors estimate that the 535m² floor space could be in the region of £650,000 construction costs. The existing architectural form does in some manner contribute to the character of the Pass, offering a tower feature to the street corner and an ecclesiastic window pattern to the first floor. The ground floor treatment to the main elevation is not so good, with a clumsy ‘shopfront’ projection which may have been an addition to the original frontage. The side and rear elevations to the building are poor, expressionless, dull and arguably ugly. Internally, the building layout has been adapted through its life to suit the various uses. Circulation is presently unclear and convoluted, and level differences through the building add further to the clarity and ease of circulation. The interior is dark and unwelcoming, and access for wheelchair users is restricted. There is no access at all to the first floor for wheelchair users. It is possible that the existing building could be restored and reused with some difficulty, although the opportunity to introduce new and vibrant components to the building will not be as successful as a new build solution. The opportunity to introduce a memorable, iconic landmark building to revitalise the Donegall Pass area and announce that the community looks to the future may be lost if the refurbishment option is favoured. As an architectural practice with a track record of conserving the best of the historic built environment, the refurbishment option is always an important starting point, but should only be effected if it is capable of fulfilling the client’s demands and objectives. In this case the demands of accessibility, sustainability, costs in use etc., lead us to consider carefully and investigate fully a new build solution. A condition survey of the property is included in Appendix A of this report. Introduction/Methodology An initial wide-ranging exercise was undertaken, drawing on desk research, consultation and analysis of the surrounding area. The object of this exercise was to establish all possible realistic uses for the building, or site where the subject building is replaced. These potential uses are set out in the following table along with an analysis of the relevance and fit to the Donegall Pass. Those which pass this initial filter, indicated in bold in the table, are carried through to the ‘short list’ that follows. That short list then considers the requirements of each possible use, with a view to determining which can be accommodated, which can co-exist, or not, and which have particular requirements, such as a ground floor position. Long List:
Use Analysis/comment Mini-market Reasonable existing provision especially since recent opening on Dublin Road, hence while possible, this could not be a priority, would also be unlikely to justify public funding given the lack of additionality. Community gym/sports hall Existing provision at Shaftesbury Recreation Centre, currently under expansion. A full-size sports hall would not fit on the site. There remains the potential for more limited needs. Café/coffee shop Under-represented, despite the presence of a number of restaurants (in part a reflection of the presence of a Chinese community in the area). This form of provision would be valuable in bringing vibrancy of Botanic area into Pass. Arts centre/Gallery Sustainability concerns – though an arts relevance would be desirable. Health related – including Healthy Living Centre The site is small for a ‘full service’ Healthy Living Centre, such as that at Albert Street in the west of the city. However the HLC model spans a number of forms, including co-existing with community development, eg EBCDA in East Belfast. The key documents describing HLCs are: A briefing paper Healthy Living Centres – A model for the delivery of neighbourhood health (HPA, September 2008) was developed by the Healthy Living Centre (HLC) Regional Alliance and the HPA. It provides information on how HLCs, as part of the local health economy, deliver their work in implementing health policy, and what services they deliver. GP Practice/possibly co-located Dentist No expressed need has been raised, such demand as exists could usefully regenerate other buildings in the area. Education/Training These are highly valuable uses, ones that change through the day, but at all times requiring appropriately sized and equipped rooms Crèche There is a strong demand for child-care, both within the locality and in relation to those who work in city centre Belfast. This form of provision has a proven income model, indeed it is commonly provided on a fully commercial basis. The opportunity for a social economy operation is however present here, where the activity can be used to provide training and other benefits into the Donegall Pass area. Childcare is important in that it aids wider objectives around supporting women in work, consequently it would be a highly useful ‘first building block’ in the renewal of the area. Incubation units This form of workspace facilitates enterprise and business rooted in locality, certain sectors such as craft and antique repair/bookbinding etc sitting very well with area’s traditional retail mix. Youth (to mean youth specific provision – note that under any of the development options young people would be encouraged to access the resource along with all others) Limited existing youth provision is available elsewhere in the locality, since the closure of the building that is the subject of this report. That closure was allowed, without precipitating replacement, suggests that the case for substantial youth provision was not made at the time. Affordable and Social Housing There is traditionally a strong demand for affordable housing, at the time of writing, late 2008, current difficulties in the housing market have reduced this demand. Affordable housing contributes to maintaining community and confers other important social benefits and is thus potentially valuable. However traditionally the ground floor corner sites on the front of a major road (with terraces off) would have a non-residential nature, reflecting their importance, for example a shop. This suggests directing any affordable housing use to either upper floors or the Posnett Street frontage, or both. Social economy The ‘not for profit sector’ or social economy is an important occupier of space in the edge inner city. The site could provide office, and possibly also trading space, for various charities and other bodies. Community hub There is growing interest in partnership within and between community organisations and voluntary bodies, as these raise efficiency and lower costs. A prime example, developed for example in Rathcoole (Dunanney Centre) is a community hub that provides a range of spaces for organisations that facilitate residents in accessing services (eg ‘one stop shop’) and also benefit the organisations themselves through the promotion of networking Short List: The uses that qualify for further consideration are set out below, along with their space implications:
Use Analysis/comment Housing Unit size from 50sqm (one bed studio) to 65 sqm (two bed) Café Ground floor, frontage to Pass, possibly to corner, café space of xx covers, plus prep kitchen and storage Gallery uses Room of 30 sq m or larger (can include circulation space, eg. Corridor) Crèche Guidelines require space to include quiet room and optionally outside space for a crèche for children Education/training ’classroom’ style provision is 10-40 sq m per room, smaller rooms used for more focused training – also supporting rooms for one to one and tutorials, etc. Community hub Meeting rooms – large 60 sq m and small 30 sq m. Also administration offices – for 6 workers totalling approx 80 sq m Incubation units Own front door and ground floor, hence Conduit Street frontage is sole suitable location Social economy Space dependent on use and scale, eg 8 sq m per employee if offices plus minimum 20 sq m (ground floor) for any trading function Minimum circulation Allow 15% of total internal area Toilets and service Allow 50-80 sq m Analysis: A series of workshops were held with the client, and consideration given to the introduction of all of the above short list to the building design. An emphasis was placed on achieving a balance of uses within the building. The two reasons for this were, firstly, the need to ensure that all sections of the community would see benefit and, secondly, that by spreading the use of the building over multiple activities, it would be easier to ensure long term sustainability. Consequently, flexibility was a key requirement of the building design. Following a detailed discussion with the Board of Trustees of the Donegall Pass Community Development Company Ltd, consideration of the options available, including refurbishment of the existing building, a clear mix of uses emerged which defines the proposal as a community based, iconic statement. The new building should be welcoming, for young and old, modern, and the hub of the Donegall Pass community. The accommodation is arranged on ground and three upper floors, similar in scale to the newly constructed Citizens Advice Bureau opposite, and making best use of the available footprint of the development site. The key components of the proposed building are as follows:-
Conscious of the safety and protection of children in a mixed-use, accessible building, the upper floor location of the crèche provides the necessary security for its users and allows the necessary provision of fully protected outdoor play areas. The design of this mixed use community building has been challenging and the template produced has taken account of the key elements which made it through the sift of many other suggested components. Its flexibility means that as and when priorities change the building can adapt to take account of other uses, for example, a small gymnasium, or dedicated studio space. The building can be an exemplar model for this important urban project, which should be firmly rooted in the Donegall Pass community. It should be open to all, and in return the Donegall Pass community should feel ownership of this building, look after and maintain it, and most importantly, use it regularly to benefit all sections of the community.
Executive Summary Preliminary Estimated Cost Total Cost/M2 Community Forum 1,255 M2 1,433,076.50 1,141.89 Preliminaries 15% 214,961.68 Contingency Sum 5% 82,401.90 Low Carbon Measures (Provisional Sum) 10% 173,043.99 £ 1,903,483.86 * Gross Floor Area 1,255 M2 13,509 Sq Ft Cost/M2 £ 1,517 Cost/Sq Ft £141 * Excludes VAT Professional Fees Building Control and Planning Fees Site Acquisition Costs Development Funding Legal Fees Removal of contamination Fit-out – cafe, forum, crèche Archaeology Kitchen
Elemental Summary % £/M2 £ Demolitions and Alterations 3 39.84 50,000.00 Substructure 4.68 53.39 67,000.00 Frame 9.20 105.02 131,800.00 Upper Floors 3.33 38.05 47,750.00 Roof 5.73 65.48 82,175.00 Stairs 2.09 23.90 30,000.00 External Walls 7.21 82.37 103,380.00 Windows and External Doors 3.69 42.12 52,860.00 Internal Walls 3.78 43.19 54,204.00 Internal Doors 2.84 335.58 42,140.00 Wall Finishes 3.76 42.97 53,932.00 Floor Finishes 5.57 63.62 79,838.00 Ceiling Finishes 2.71 30.90 38,785.00 General Fittings 3.17 36.25 45,500.00 Mechanical & Electrical Installation 32.18 367.50 461,212.50 Lift Installation 2.97 33.86 42,500.00 Siteworks/Connection charges 50,000.00 TOTAL BUILDING WORK 96.51 1,141.89 1,433,076.50 Gross internal floor area (M2) 1,255.00 M2 Gross internal floor area (Sq. Ft.) 13,508.82 Sq. Ft. COST PER M2 £1,141,.89 /M2 COST PER Sq. Ft. £106.08 /Sq. Ft. 8. ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS This section presents an overview of the business model for the building. It presents an indicative income stream and the associated cost structure before combining these to render a conclusion of sustainability. Operating Cashflow statement: Costs The table below sets out the projected annual costs of operating the proposed building. This cashflow assumes that there is no loan interest or repayment on the capital cost of the building.
COSTS (annual) Staffing – a dedicated networking officer, responsible for management of buildings, lettings, financial arrangements etc., promotion and hosting of events and networking activities, plus out of hours opening/caretaking £30,000 Heat, light and power (under a low carbon specification) £8,000 Cleaning £2,500 Insurances and legal £4,000 Accountancy and Audit (additional to Forum) £2,000 Marketing and Advertising £2,000 Repairs and Maintenance £2,000 Telecoms (including free wi-fi broadband) £2,500 Sundries £1,500 Rates (as charitable limited to café and possible ‘commercial’ unit) £4,000 Total costs £58,500 Income The income generation of the building is driven primarily by the leasing of space, as shown below. This covers a spectrum from the hire of a room for an hour to the long term lease of space to, for example, the café operator.
INCOME (annual) Café (franchised – private operator) £12,000 Crèche (franchised to community business) £10,000 Commercial Suite (let to social economy organisation, e.g., community gym) £8,000 Meetings: conference suite at 200 hours at commercial rate £60/hr, 800 hours at cultural and community rate at £18 (30% of commercial), 500 hours uncharged community use (charges net of refreshments costs) £35,200 Training Suite (1000 hours a year at £15, 300 hours uncharged for local resident access training) £15,000 Incubation suites (£10 psf all inclusive, 10% voids) £10,000 Forum Office space - Total £90,200 Sustainability : Net Annual Operating Surplus and Viability
Net Annual Operating Surplus £90,200 - £58,500 £31,700 In relation to the robustness of this viability, analysis of the income stream shows that the building remains viable if any single income stream fails (note that there is a caretaking saving where meetings use falls short of target). Additional Building ‘Gift’ The value of the ‘building gift’, the uncharged provision to the Donegall Pass community, is around £10,000 a year in relation to the Forum’s offices, and a further £15,000 in uncharged meetings use and training, a total of £25,000 pa. This concept study has reached a number of robust conclusions:
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