Conwy County Borough Council Conwy Civic Hall Development Appraisal Study
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Conwy County Borough Council Conwy Civic Hall Development Appraisal Study March 2007 Contents 1 Executive summary 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Methodology 1.3 Service proposals 1.4 Site options 1.5 Capital implications 1.6 Revenue implications 1.7 Financial viability 1.8 Scoring the options 2 Aims of the project 2.1 Background 2.2 Aims of the options appraisal 2.3 Methodology 3 Strategic context 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Local and regional context 3.3 National context 3.4 Summary 4 The market 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Context and location analysis 4.3 Current users of Conwy Civic Hall 4.4 The national user/visitor market 4.5 Current attendance and competition within the region 4.6 Conclusions and visitor figure projections 4.7 Conclusions 5 Comparators and models of good practice 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham 5.3 Stamford Arts Centre 5.4 The Library Theatre, Luton 5.5 Theatre Colwyn, Colwyn Bay 5.6 Rotherham Arts Centre, Rotherham 5.7 The Plough Arts Centre 6 Service options 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Existing services 6.3 Issues with the existing services 6.4 Proposals 6.5 Staffing implications 6.6 Operational implications 7 Site options 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Option 1: Status Quo 7.2.1 Description 7.2.2 Schedule of areas 7.2.3 Plans 7.2.4 Strengths and weaknesses of the status quo 7.2.5 Visitor, staffing and financial implications 7.3 Option 2: Refurbishment with same layout and existing mix of services 7.3.1 Description 7.3.2 Schedule of areas 7.3.3 Plans 7.3.4 Strengths and weaknesses of refurbishment 7.3.5 Visitor, staffing and financial implications 7.3.6 Operational implications 7.4 Option 3: Reclad the upper storeys with reconfiguration of layout and additional services 7.4.1 Description 7.4.2 Schedule of areas 7.4.3 Plans 7.4.4 Strengths and weaknesses of the proposals 7.4.6 Visitor, staffing and financial implications 7.4.7 Operational implications 7.5 Option 4: Restore the original form with major reconfiguration of layout and additional services 7.5.1 Description 7.5.2 Schedule of areas 7.5.3 Plans 7.5.4 Strengths and weaknesses of the proposals 7.5.5 Visitor, staffing and financial implications 7.5.6 Operational implications 7.6 Option 5: Restore the original building form with major reconfiguration of layout that omits the Auditorium and includes lettable office space instead 5.6.1 Description 5.6.2 Schedule of areas 5.6.3 Plans 5.6.4 Strengths and weaknesses of the proposals 5.6.5 Visitor, staffing and financial implications 5.6.6 Operational implications 8 Capital implications 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Capital implications 8.3 External funding opportunities 8.4 Financial viability 9 Revenue implications 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Income 9.3 Spending 9.4 Financial viability 10 Scoring of each service option 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Service options scoring sheet APPENDICES Appendix 1: Mosaic catchment map Appendix 2: Competitor analysis Appendix 3: Comparator analysis Appendix 4: Space brief Appendix 5: Full revenue costs breakdown Appendix 6: Full capital costs breakdown Appendix 7: External funding bodies Appendix 8: Consultation list Appendix 9: Research list Conwy County Borough Council: Conwy Civic Hall Development Appraisal Study Chapter 1: Executive summary 1 Executive summary 1.1 Introduction ABL Cultural Consulting, together with Levitt Bernstein Associates (architects) and Davis Langdon (Quantity surveyors), were appointed in February 2007 by Conwy County Borough Council to undertake a development appraisal study for Conwy Civic Hall. The aim of the development appraisal study is to provide financial and socio-economic evidence to assist the Council to decide on the future development direction of Conwy Civic Hall. In particular the Council wished to research the following themes: • Appraisal of the appropriateness of the Civic Hall site for future library, tourist information centre and interpretation purposes • Identification, if moving to a new site is the option recommended, of possible sites together with associated costings • Assessment of potential use of the Civic Hall through involvement with the whole community • Assessment of the viability of the vision/plan of the Company Limited by Guarantee established through the Conwy Civic Hall Users Group • Confirmation of the costs of the proposed re-development, including firming up on outline plans, particularly in respect of space requirement • Medium to long term revenue implications for the Authority • Identification of external funding and preparation of relevant bids • Implication of retaining the status quo in respect of ongoing/additional costs, effect on the overall Quay development, community needs etc. ABL Cultural Consulting 1 Conwy County Borough Council: Conwy Civic Hall Development Appraisal Study Chapter 1: Executive summary 1.2 Methodology The methodology comprised: • Desk research to gather information about the background and context to the project • Stakeholder consultation to glean opinion about the current service and future development direction of the Civic Hall • Site and service options appraisal undertaken by an architect, quantity surveyor and cultural specialist. 1.3 Service proposals Between May and August 2006 15 individuals and two groups were consulted about their vision for the building. A brief for the new building was drawn up for the architect, based upon stakeholder consultation and the consultants’ expertise, and the following service options are proposed: Access There will be a route through the building from Castle Street to the quayside, descending down a staircase in the gateway tower onto the quay. There will be a new brightly lit entrance on Castle Street with automatic glass doors. There will be a new public lift installed in the building that will be large enough to accommodate equipment needed for the Auditorium. Loading and parking will continue to be a problem because of the configuration of the roads. However, the ground floor will be level and there will be easy access to the lift. Library The proposals for options 3 – 5 are to keep the same overall floor area, but to bring the library to a more prominent position in the building and create an environment more suited to today’s service and customer expectations. Apart from the lending and reference stock, the Library is likely to have spaces for study, relaxing and reading newspapers and magazines, computers for training and general public use, story telling and events, meeting rooms for community hire and a display area for Library exhibitions. ABL Cultural Consulting 2 Conwy County Borough Council: Conwy Civic Hall Development Appraisal Study Chapter 1: Executive summary It will also utilise the view over the estuary and have a coffee point for users. Activities might include computer classes for older users, reader development, activities with mother and toddler groups and schools as well as projects targeted at hard to reach groups, such as teenagers, people on low incomes and rural communities. Meeting rooms In options 3 – 5 there are meeting rooms for such activities as community groups meetings, training sessions, MP’s surgeries and rehearsals. Tourist Information Centre (TIC) It is proposed that the TIC moves from the Castle into the Civic Hall for options 3 – 5 and could potentially be run jointly with the library service. The partnership offers a range of joint opportunities, such as provision of general information, provision of historical information and retail activity. It is recommended that within or adjacent to the TIC there should be a small introductory display, welcoming visitors to Conwy. This might take the form of a brief introductory video and display panels. The Auditorium The Auditorium will be a flexible hall with retractable seating for 150 people, which can be used for a variety of functions from drama to karate and antique fairs. The current proposals include a flat stage rather than a traditional stage. It should have a sprung floor to accommodate dance performance and classes, as there is a proven need for such a venue in Conwy. There will be dressing rooms and a kitchen. The auditorium will have a terrace and bar that overlooks the estuary. Day time use of the hall could be improved through bookings from school groups visiting the town, needing a space for teaching or simply for eating lunch. Use of the building by visiting schools and after school clubs for local children could be run in collaboration with the library. Visual Arts The Visual Arts space will be combined with a foyer. It is a space primarily used by community arts groups and should be programmed by Conwy County Borough Council’s Arts Development Officer. ABL Cultural Consulting 3 Conwy County Borough Council: Conwy Civic Hall Development Appraisal Study Chapter 1: Executive summary Coffee bar At the moment it is suggested that there should be a coffee bar for the Civic Hall users in one of the options. We have veered away from a café and restaurant because they can be risky businesses and there needs to be clarity about the facilities proposed for the quayside. If there is a café or restaurant proposed for the quayside development, there is potential for joining a Civic Hall facility to that restaurant or keeping to a low key coffee bar. Lettable space It is important that the new Civic Hall facilities provide income streams that will help its sustainability for the future. However, space is at a premium in the Civic Hall and it is unable to accommodate substantial commercial space and community use. Hence, in one option (Option 4) with primarily community use, we have proposed a small lettable kiosk, whilst in another we have omitted the performing arts space and proposed using it as lettable office space (option 5).