North Kent College: Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility Full Business Case for Getting Building Fund Revised following Gate 1 Review October 2020 North Kent College: Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility Contents The template ........................................................................................................................ 1 The standard process ......................................................................................................... 2 1. Project Overview ............................................................................................................. 3 2. Strategic Case ................................................................................................................. 8 3. Economic Case ............................................................................................................. 26 4. Commercial case ........................................................................................................... 46 5. Financial Case ............................................................................................................... 50 6. Management Case ......................................................................................................... 55 7. Declarations .................................................................................................................. 62 Annexes………...…………………………………………………………………………………….62 North Kent College: Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility The template This document provides the business case template for projects seeking funding which is made available through the South East Local Enterprise Partnership. It is therefore designed to satisfy all SELEP governance processes, approvals by the Strategic Board, the Accountability Board and also the early requirements of the Independent Technical Evaluation process where applied. It is also designed to be applicable across all funding streams made available by Government through SELEP. It should be filled in by the scheme promoter – defined as the final beneficiary of funding. In most cases, this is the local authority; but in some cases the local authority acts as Accountable Body for a private sector final beneficiary. In those circumstances, the private sector beneficiary would complete this application and the SELEP team would be on hand, with local partners in the federated boards, to support the promoter. Please note that this template should be completed in accordance with the guidelines laid down in the HM Treasury’s Green Book (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the- green-book-appraisal-and-evaluation-in-central-government) As described below, there are likely to be two phases of completion of this template. The first, an ‘outline business case’ stage, should see the promoter include as much information as would be appropriate for submission though SELEP to Government calls for projects where the amount awarded to the project is not yet known. If successful, the second stage of filling this template in would be informed by clarity around funding and would therefore require a fully completed business case, inclusive of the economic appraisal which is sought below. At this juncture, the business case would therefore dovetail with SELEP’s Independent Technical Evaluation process and be taken forward to funding and delivery. 1 North Kent College: Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility The standard process This document forms the initial SELEP part of a normal project development process. The four steps in the process are defined below in simplified terms as they relate specifically to the Note – this does not illustrate background work undertaken locally, such as evidence base development, baselining and local management of the project pool and reflects the working reality of submitting funding bids to Government. In the form that follows: Version control North Kent College: Performing and Document ID Production Digital Arts Facility Version 8.0 – Revised Gate 1 05.10.20 Author North Kent College Document status Final submitted Lawrence Jenkins, Deputy Chief Authorised by Executive Date authorised 5 October 2020 2 North Kent College: Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility 1. Project Overview 1.1 Project name: [Specify the name of the scheme, ensuring it corresponds with the name of the scheme at programme entry (when added to the LGF prioritised list of projects or other shortlisting process).] North Kent College – New Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility 1.2 Project type: [Site development, skills, innovation etc.] Skills 1.3 Federated Board Area: [East Sussex, Kent & Medway, Essex, and Thames Gateway South Essex] Kent and Medway 1.4 Lead County Council / Unitary Authority: [East Sussex, Kent, Medway, Essex, Thurrock, Southend-on-Sea] Kent County Council 1.5 Development location: [Specify location, including postal address and postcode.] North Kent College, Dartford Campus, Oakfield Lane, Dartford DA1 2JT. 1.6 Project Summary: [Provide a summary of the project; max. 0.5 pages.] Overview The project will provide a new Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility at North Kent College’s Dartford campus. This will enable the College to maintain and develop its established strengths in performing arts and digital design, respond to growing student demand and contribute to the long-term growth of the creative and cultural sector. Specifically, it will involve the construction of a new, high-quality two-storey building containing 2,836 sq m (c. 30,500 sq ft) of educational floorspace, including a performance venue, dance studios, music performance spaces, digital design classrooms and workshops, and a new food court and social zone serving the whole College campus. The new facility will consolidate the College’s digital design and performing arts facilities, enabling it to grow provision by 264 net new enrolments per year by 2026/27. 3 North Kent College: Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility Opportunity and need There is a clear opportunity and need for the project. The College is acknowledged as one of the best-performing further education colleges in England in music, dance and digital design, and attracts students from a wide catchment in Kent and South London. Student numbers have grown in recent years, although applications outstrip enrolments as physical capacity places a limit on recruitment. At the same time, there are growing economic opportunities in the creative sector: while in the short-term, the creative industries have been badly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, performing arts and digital design are areas of relative strength in the UK, and at strategic level, initiatives such as the development of the Thames Estuary Production Corridor recognise the potential for significant regional growth. However, despite these opportunities, the existing facilities at North Kent College’s Dartford campus are past their economic life and offer poor quality teaching and learning environments. The current facilities include temporary structures that have now been in place for over 15 years, as well as teaching areas converted from former accommodation blocks. While the Joint Area Review carried out in 2017 noted high teaching performance, it also highlighted the high running costs associated with the existing estate and the need for investment. Deliverability A solution to the urgent need for investment is well advanced. Plans for additional facilities for digital and performing arts were developed over a decade ago, as part of the former Building Schools and Colleges for the Future programme, although at the time, there was insufficient funding to deliver these. More recently, proposals for a new Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility were advanced as part of a redevelopment plan that would have brought forward some residential enabling development to pay for investment in the College estate. While these could not be realised due to the planning challenges of housing development in the Metropolitan Green Belt, the educational element has full planning permission, and can be delivered by February 2022, provided capital funding is in place. 1.7 Delivery partners: [List all delivery partners and specify the lead applicant and nature of involvement, as per the table below.] The only delivery partner is North Kent College, which is the applicant and which owns the land, will manage all contracts relating to the capital build, will own the asset on completion and will be responsible for the delivery of educational services from it. The College will engage contractors for delivery, with Willmott Dixon appointed as the main contractor and AECOM appointed as project managers through a Scape Group framework. 1.8 Promoting Body: [Specify who is promoting the scheme.] North Kent College 4 North Kent College: Performing and Production Digital Arts Facility 1.9 Senior Responsible Owner (SRO): [Specify the nominated SRO and provide their contact details. The SRO ensures that a programme or project meets its objectives and delivers projected benefits. This is not the same as a Section 151 Officer.] Lawrence Jenkins Deputy Chief Executive [email protected] 1.10 Total project value and funding sources: [Specify the total project value, how this is split by funding sources, and any constraints, dependencies or risks on the funding sources, as per the table below.] Table 1-1: Project value and funding sources Funding source Amount, £ Constraints,