Subject: Site Visit to the Report to: Planning Committee

Report of: Executive Director of Secretariat Date: 28 November 2013

This report will be considered in public

1. Summary

1.1 This paper sets out details of the Planning Committee site visit to the Southbank Centre that took place on 18 November 2013. The visit followed up work undertaken at the 10 October Planning Committee on how certain aspects of the Localism Act 2011 – specifically those that allow the listing of community assets - are being implemented in London. The Appendix to this paper also sets out correspondence received by the Chair from the Southbank Centre in relation to the 10 October Planning Committee.

2. Recommendation

2.1 That the Committee notes the record of the site visit to the Southbank Centre that took place on 18 November 2013 and the correspondence received by the Chair at Appendix 1.

3. Background

3.1 At its meeting on 10 October the Planning Committee discussed with a range of invited guests how aspects of the Localism Act 2011 are being implemented in London. In relation to those parts of the Act allowing the nomination of buildings as ‘Assets of Community Value’, the Committee heard from groups involved in this procedure – including the Southbank skaters who, in July 2013, were successful in getting the skate park in the Undercroft of the Southbank Centre listed by Lambeth Council as an Asset of Community Value.

3.2 Following that meeting the Chair wrote to the Southbank Centre to request the opportunity to visit the site and discuss with senior executives the redevelopment proposals and some of the issues that have arisen from the listing the Undercroft as an Asset of Community Value.

3.3 While this visit was being planned the Chair received a letter from the Chief Executive of the Southbank Centre alleging that a number of inaccurate statements were made at the Committee and asking for the opportunity to be corrected for the record. This letter is at Appendix 1.

4. Record of site visit

4.1 Members received a short tour of the Southbank Centre and a presentation on the redevelopment proposals and financial implications of various development scenarios from the following senior executives of the Southbank Centre:

City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA Enquiries: 020 7983 4100 minicom: 020 7983 4458 www.london.gov.uk

 Alan Bishop, Chief Executive  Jude Kelly, Artistic Director  Mike McCart, Director Partnerships and Policy  Mark Rushworth, Property Director

4.2 The Southbank Centre has submitted plans for a £140 million redevelopment project to double the size of the arts centre and include additional rehearsal space, educational facilities, restaurants and shops. Central to the scheme are plans to transform the Festival Wing – the , and complex – to create a refurbished cultural centre.

4.3 The proposals include the refurbishment and renewal of the existing 1960s buildings and the creation of major new arts spaces. This is in line with the Southbank Centre’s vision to deliver a more ambitious arts, educational and cultural programme across the site. The project aims to bring performance spaces and galleries up to the standard of the transformed , completed in 2007, and address current urgent problems including poor access, worn out services and the need to upgrade stages, galleries and back stage areas.

The Undercroft proposal 4.4 In the proposals, new arts/culture and retail facilities will be situated in the Undercroft - part of which is currently home of the skate park. The Southbank Centre proposes that the skate park will be moved to nearby Hungerford Bridge (120 metres away from the Undercroft).

4.5 In November the Southbank Centre entered into a legal commitment to guarantee the long-term future of skateboarding and other ‘urban art forms’ on the site. The legal measure – known as a unilateral undertaking – commits the Southbank Centre to providing a free, permanent facility for skateboarding and other activities, under Hungerford Bridge from the end of 2014.

4.6 The Southbank Centre has released designs for the new skating space. It has selected Danish skaters, SNE Architects to design the new park. The final scheme will be submitted to Lambeth Council for planning permission in early 2014. The new skate park is planned to be open and ready before the Undercroft is closed at the start of 2015.

5. Legal Implications

5.1 The Committee has the power to do what is recommended in this report.

6. Financial Implications

6.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from this report.

List of appendices to this report: none

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 List of Background Papers: Appendix 1 – Letter from the Southbank Centre Agenda report – Protecting Assets of Community Value, Planning Committee 10 October 2013 http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s29409/13-10- 10%20Community%20Assets%20Report.pdf Contact Officer: Paul Watling, Scrutiny Manager Telephone: 020 7983 4393 E-mail: [email protected]