Agenda Item 5

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Report to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport

16th November 2005

Historic Soho Foundry, (Forward Plan Ref. No. RT035)

1. Summary Statement

1.1 Originally built in 1795 by for the construction of their revolutionary steam engines, the Soho Foundry complex is of particular historic interest as the earliest in the world, manufacturing, assembling, and commissioning equipment on one fully integrated site.

It is largely grade II* listed and much of the site has been identified for scheduling as an Ancient Monument. The restoration of this site is a key element in the regeneration of this part of North Smethwick and will be a central component of the proposed bid for World Heritage Site status for the Birmingham Canal Navigations that is being promoted by the Black Country Strategy.

1.2 Approval in principle was given by the former Cabinet Member for Urban Form in 2004 to acquire the freehold interest of the foundry, on the provision of an exit strategy being in place. Avery Berkel currently owns the freehold and wish to dispose of part of the site including the historic foundry (see Plan at Appendix A),

1.3 As part of their wider ambitions to regenerate an area to be known as “Soho Park”, RegenCo has commissioned consultants to prepare a strategy to indicate how the historic Soho Foundry could be restored and brought into commercial use. This will see the historic foundry buildings as a catalyst to bringing new investment to the area and creating new heritage-based leisure facilities around a re-opened canal basin.

1.4 The strategy is in four stages. The first two stages involve making key buildings wind and watertight. Later stages will bring commercial activity to heritage buildings and the adjacent area. RegenCo has negotiated with Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Advantage (AWM) over funding and received support.

1.5 The uses for the historic foundry buildings recommended in their report are based on previous work commissioned by the Smethwick Regeneration Partnership (SRP). The report suggests that once the building has been made wind and watertight and essential infrastructure provided, parts of the buildings can be used temporarily for a wide variety of community activities. After further private investment, suggested commercial uses include a public house and restaurant, an Asian wedding centre, a multi-purpose event space, display space and galleries, small starter business units and heritage-related uses such as an Asian history centre. These findings received favourable support during consultation done by SRP and more recently by RegenCo.

1.6 The two-stage application to HLF will be for £6m and AWM will be approached for £2m, representing a total of £8m. The final figures will depend upon further surveys and investigation. The Director of Planning and Transportation hopes to submit the applications by the end of June 2006, with a stage 1 decision received from HLF in January 2007.

1.7 To deliver the stage 2 applications to HLF and AWM, it is necessary to prepare a business plan, audience plan and architectural plans to RIBA scale C. It will be necessary to make certain parts of the building safe for operators to enter in order to complete these requirements. Audience plans will need to bear in mind the close relationship the foundry has with Birmingham, in particular Soho House. This provides a direct connection with Brindleyplace and the opportunity to draw tourism to the foundry, partly along the canal. . Funding for this work will be made available from Urban Regeneration Theme and the Director of Planning and Transportation. An application is to be made to English Heritage for funding to undertake works to enable these studies to proceed.

1.8 It is proposed the HLF and AWM funding will pay for:

• Enveloping of retained existing buildings. • Phased full refurbishment of existing buildings with related new extension alterations and necessary infrastructure. • Research and production of a multi-media presentation depicting the "secret histories" of the workers and the communities connected to the foundry. • A programme of training in traditional building and building conservation skills, as well as in digital media skills such as archiving and research.

1.9 Before the second stage of the application process, a further report will be submitted to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport seeking approval for the Council to acquire the freehold interest in the historic foundry and associated land.

1.10 Discussions have commenced on establishing a Charitable Trust which would take ultimate responsibility for the site. The Prince’s Regeneration Trust is hosting a seminar on this opportunity in the near future.

1.11 The operations of the adjacent Avery Weigh-Tronix site will not be affected by the proposals and negotiations have resulted in a proposed new access road to the historic foundry with associated car parking.

Further details are attached for your information

2. Recommendations

2.1 That the Director of Planning and Transportation be authorised to submit an application to Heritage Lottery Fund and Advantage West Midlands for restoration of heritage buildings at Soho Foundry.

2.2 That the Director of Planning and Transportation be authorised to submit an application to English Heritage for £200,000 towards the cost of preparatory works relevant to the HLF and AWM applications.

2.3 That the Director of Planning and Transportation be authorised to instruct consultancies to prepare the documents and surveys necessary for the HLF submission process.

In accordance with the authority delegated to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, the following course of action has been agreed, which will be set out in the formal record of the decisions taken by the Member:

(1) the recommendations above are approved.

(2) the recommendations above are approved as now amended.

(3) the recommendations above are not approved.

______Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport

Date 16th November 2005

Robert A Lee Director of Planning and Transportation

John Barton Head of Strategic Finance

Peter J Manley Head of Corporate Property

Contact Officer

Alan Winser Group Planner Planning Development 0121 569 4081

Historic Soho Foundry, Smethwick

3. Strategic Resource Implications

3.1 Avery Berkel currently owns the freehold interest of Soho Foundry and associated land. The company has expressed a willingness to sell the foundry at nil cost to SMBC, together with associated land to allow for car access and parking, and the Mint Building on the canal. The addition of this associated land is essential for the foundry site to be commercially viable once refurbishment is complete.

3.2 Approval in principle was made by the Cabinet Member for Urban Form on 23rd March 2004 to acquire the freehold interest of Soho Foundry, Foundry Lane, Smethwick, on the provision of assessments of liabilities and an exit strategy being in place.

3.3 To deliver the applications to HLF and AWM, it is necessary to prepare a business plan, audience plan and plans for the buildings to RIBA scale C. It will be necessary to make certain parts of the building safe for operators to enter in order to complete the necessary plans. Audience plans will need to bear in mind the close relationship the foundry has with Birmingham, in particular Soho House. This provides a direct connection with Brindleyplace and the opportunity to draw tourism to the foundry, partly along the canal.

3.4 Funding for this work will be made available from Urban Regeneration Theme and the Director of Planning and Transportation. An application is to be made to English Heritage for funding to undertake works to enable these studies to proceed.

3.5 HLF are unwilling to fund work on buildings not in public ownership. To reduce the risk of the Council taking ownership of the buildings and then failing in the bid for HLF and AWM funding, the application process is in two stages. The approval to acquire in principle mentioned above in paragraph 3.2 is sufficient for HLF to consider a stage one submission. If the bid is successful at this stage, some funding will be available to pay for the production of further surveys and a refined business plan.

3.6 Stage 1 approval will indicate the amount of funding to be made available and the conditions that will be attached to the grant. This will enable an assessment of liabilities and an exit strategy to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport hopefully in January 2007.

3.7 A workshop is being arranged with Heritage Through Regeneration, part of the Prince’s Regeneration Trust. This will bring together various individuals with experience of setting up and running Charitable Trusts which have taken on the responsibility for managing similar heritage projects. The outcomes of this workshop will be used to assess the requirements for a Charitable Trust being established to take over the management and responsibility for the historic Soho Foundry if the HLF and AWM bids are successful and the Council agrees to acquire the freehold from the current owners.

3.8 An application for further funding from AWM for further work once the restoration has been complete is also being prepared. AWM’s Regeneration Zone has approved in outline the original Soho Foundry project.

4. Legal and Statutory Implications

4.1 The Black Country Study is preparing a Draft Statement of Significance as part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations World Heritage Bid Aspiration, which includes Soho Foundry. This document would ascertain the significance of the canal network to the Black Country and provide a baseline for developing the management plan for the canal network.

4.2 Policy C8 - World Heritage Sites, of the Sandwell MBC 2004 Unitary Development Plan, states “The Council will pursue the designation of Soho Foundry as a World Heritage Site.”

4.3 Policy C1 – Conservation states “The Council will continue to protect, preserve and promote the range of historical, architectural and archaeological sites, buildings and structures of merit or heritage value within the Borough”.

4.4 Policy C2 – Buildings of Special Architectural or Historical Interest states “Listed buildings will be fully safeguarded by use of statutory powers. Their regular maintenance will be encouraged. The Council will encourage the reuse of Listed buildings, particularly where new uses may lead to a building’s preservation”.

4.5 Policy C7 – Canals states “the Council will seek to protect the Borough’s canal heritage, including canalside buildings and associated structures and areas around the canal network that are of special interest”.

4.6 Paragraph 8.6.15 of The 2004 Smethwick Town Plan states “The Action Plan for Foundry Lane builds on the area’s potential as a prime location for B1 and office-based employment uses. Although access to the area is poor at present, there is scope to improve this to accommodate a ‘business park’ development around the central park which will provide a pleasant working environment and contribute to the improvement of this otherwise isolated park of the Borough.

5. Implications for the Council’s Corporate Priorities

• Raising standards in schools Public access to the site will be possible after HLF and AWM funded-work to envelope the building is complete. There will be limited interpretation of the foundry available on site within the visitor facilities and it may be possible to use the foundry as an educational resource at this stage.

Proposals for the long-term future educational uses of the site include exhibition space for important collections, performance space and interpretation facilities for the Foundry itself and of the communities who worked there. The whole site will be a major educational and cultural resource and will be of vital importance to schools not only in Sandwell but also across the West Midlands region.

• A safe borough – clean and tidy The historic foundry buildings are in severe neglect. Funding from HLF and AWM will refurbish the building and wider site, bringing it to a suitable condition for public use and access.

• Transforming the physical environment HLF and AWM funding will restore the buildings to allow public access for large events, together with limited interpretation of the foundry incorporated into café facilities. Subsequent applications to AWM will hopefully bring the whole site back into commercial use as a major educational, cultural and entertainment destination.

• Opportunities for high value jobs for local people This is beginning of a major project to refurbish the historic foundry as a major educational, cultural and entertainment destination. This will eventually bring museum and gallery space, entertainment uses, starter business units as well as larger commercial office space. It is likely to provide substantial numbers of new jobs, particularly in the later phases.

The HLF and AWM funded phase of works to envelope the building also includes a sum to provide a training programme in traditional construction and conservation skills, in which there is currently a national shortage.

• Lifelong learning The application for HLF funding includes interpretation facilities for the historic foundry and the communities who worked on site over its history. This will be a considerable resource for learning about the diverse crafts and technologies connected to the area, as well as the varied experiences of life around the area.

• Things for young people to do HLF and AWM funded restoration work will create an event space for public use, together with limited interpretation of the site within the facilities.

Long-term proposals for the site include multi-purpose event space, museum, gallery and performance display space; all in high quality, hard landscaped public open space adjacent to a re-opened canal arm. These facilities will be a major visitor destination for families and young people.

• Local communities Long-term proposals for the site include an exhibition space for South Asian art, an Anglo-Sikh museum as well as performance and events space and starter business units that could be used by community groups.

6. Background Details

6.1 Originally built in 1795 by Boulton and Watt for the construction of their revolutionary , the Soho Foundry complex is of particular historic interest as the earliest factory in the world, manufacturing, assembling, and commissioning equipment on one fully integrated site. It is largely grade II* listed, and much of the site has been identified for scheduling as an ancient monument in 2006. The restoration of this site is a key element in the regeneration of this part of North Smethwick and will be a central component of the proposed bid for World Heritage Site status for the Birmingham Canal Navigations that is being promoted by the Black Country Strategy.

6.2 Approval in principle was made by the Cabinet Member for Urban Form on 23rd March 2004 to acquire the freehold interest of Soho Foundry, Foundry Lane, Smethwick, on the provision of assessments of liabilities and an exit strategy being in place. 6.3 Avery Berkel currently own the freehold and wish to dispose of part of the site including the historic foundry and associated buildings. The operator of the neighbouring scrap yard has made an offer to buy the land and foundry from Avery Berkel. It is essential therefore that these unique buildings are conserved and enhanced, which sale to the scrap yard operators could jeopardise.

6.4 As part of their wider ambitions to regenerate an area to be known as “Soho Park”, RegenCo has commissioned Austin-Smith:Lord architects to prepare a strategy to indicate how the historic Soho Foundry could be restored and brought into commercial use. This will see the historic foundry buildings as a catalyst to bringing investment to the area and modernising existing facilities and creating a new mixed-use area including heritage-based leisure facilities around a re-opened canal basin.

6.5 This strategy assumes Sandwell Council will acquire the freehold interest in the historic foundry site and responsibility will subsequently pass on to a charitable trust.

6.6 The Austin-Smith: Lord strategy is in four stages. The first and second stages involve making key buildings wind and watertight, creating a large event space for community use. Latter stages will bring together commercial activity to heritage buildings with related interests in the adjacent area. Possible uses that arose out of consultation organised and funded by Smethwick Regeneration Partnership in 2003, include (depending on market demand) small starter business units; Asian wedding centre; event, exhibition and conference space; Asian history centre; performance space and a public house/ restaurant with hotel. This strategy then received support in major consultation undertaken by RegenCo in 2004.

6.7 RegenCo has negotiated with Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Advantage West Midlands (AWM) over funding and received favourable reaction to the strategy. HLF would fund the second stage with match funding from AWM and the final stages being funded by private investment with reducing AWM assistance.

6.8 The application to HLF will be for £6m and AWM will be approached for £2m, representing a total of £8m. The final figures will depend upon further surveys and investigation.

6.9 Depending on further investigation, the HLF and AWM funding will pay for:

• Enveloping of retained existing buildings. The final extent of this work will be determined during the development study phase. • Phased full refurbishment of existing buildings with related new extension alterations. • Creation of necessary infrastructure to enable public access and commercial use of buildings. • Research and production of a multi-media presentation to display at various locations in the region, depicting the "secret histories" of the workers and the communities connected to the foundry. • A programme of training in traditional building and building conservation skills which could be delivered on-site depending on health and safety issues, as well as in digital media skills such as archiving and research to be delivered off-site.

6.10 The application to HLF will be considered in two stages. Grant applications for each stage are considered twice a year. A number of documents and surveys are necessary for the second stage of the application process, including a business plan. Therefore before the second stage of the application process, a further report will be submitted to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport seeking approval for the Council to acquire the freehold interest in the historic foundry and associated land to bring the foundry into new and sustainable uses.

6.11 The site owner, Avery Berkel, is willing to contribute to the project through disposal of a large amount of land surrounding the historic foundry buildings at nil value. This additional land will allow an access road and car park to be constructed to serve the uses established after the building is made wind and watertight.

6.12 Discussions have commenced on establishing a Charitable Trust who would take ultimate responsibility for the site. The Prince’s Regeneration Trust is hosting a seminar on this opportunity in the near future.

6.12 The operations of the adjacent Avery Weigh-Tronix site will not be affected by the proposals.

Source Documents

Report to the Cabinet Member for Urban Form, 23rd March 2004, “Soho Foundry, Smethwick”

Sandwell MBC Unitary Development Plan 2004

Black Country Consortium (2005) Black Country Study: Environment Technical Report

National Heritage Training Group (2005) Traditional Building Craft Skills: Assessing the Need, Meeting the Challenge