Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

BUILDING DESIGN PROJECT APPRAISAL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - POLICY AND RESOURCES

14 FEBRUARY 2002

PROJECT:	ALTON LIBRARY
	NEW LIBRARY
COMMENCEMENT DATE:	SUMMER 2002
COMPLETION DATE:	SUMMER 2003
PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME:		2002/ 03

RECOMMENDATION:

That the building design project appraisal for the new Alton Library scheme be approved.

1. FINANCE

Capital Expenditure	Current Estimate £'000	Capital Programme £'000
Buildings	1,164	905
Fees	186	145
Land to be purchased	_	_
TOTAL	* 1,350	1,050

* The means by which the difference between the Current Estimate and the Capital Programme allocation is to be met can be found in the table below.

Furniture and Equipment: subject to the County Librarian's assessment of need, together with the availability of funding, a furniture and equipment allocation will be made in the appropriate financial year.

Financial Provision for Total Scheme	Buildings £'000	Fees £'000	Total Cost £'000
1. From Committee's own Resources:
a) Capital Programme (as above)	905	145	1,050
b) Capital Receipt	259	41	300
TOTAL	1,164	186	1,350

Landlord Funded Work connected with this Scheme

The building work as outlined in this design project appraisal is being funded primarily from the Policy and Resources Committee's 2001/02 Capital Programme along with a capital receipt from the sale of part of the existing site.

Value of Land already acquired for this Project

The value of the area of land which will be sold as part of this development is estimated to be £300,000.

Building Cost - Net Cost = £1,288 per m²

- Gross cost =£ 1,474 per m²

Revenue Implications

	(a) Employees £'000	(b) Other £'000	(a+b) Net Current Expenditure £'000	(c) Capital Charges £'000	(a+b+c) Total Net Expenditure £'000
Revenue Implications Additional+ /Reductions	70	14	84	814	165
Unit cost (£) (e.g. per place)	-	-	-	-	-
% variation to Committee's Budget	Subject to review	0.06	0.06	0.32	0.38
Number of Additional Staff (fte)	Subject to review

(a) Energy Costs

The anticipated annual fuel cost for the new library building will be approximately £6,600.

(b) Maintenance Costs

The detailed design and choice of materials will minimise future maintenance liability.

2. STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

Alton Library is at present housed in a Reema 43 system building constructed for Civil Defence purposes during 1950. This building is in a poor condition and its maintenance is a costly ongoing liability. With a floor area of approximately 320 m² it is inadequate for the demands placed upon it by its catchment area of some 40,000 population.

The reference and study areas are cramped, there is insufficient space to accommodate People's Network terminals or to introduce new services and a high level of requests for books not in stock reflects the small book stock which the building is able to accommodate.

The library also supports two part-time libraries at Liphook and Grayshott which puts further strain on the already staff work area.

3. DETAILS OF SITE

LOCATION

The proposed new library will be located on the existing library site at Vicarage Hill, Alton.

ADJOINING LAND AND BUILDINGS

The site is located in the centre of Alton and is bounded to the west by Amery Street with residential accommodation beyond. To the north is a Brethren's meeting room with housing beyond. Vicarage Hill runs along the eastern boundary and continues round the corner along the southern boundary of the site. Beyond to the south is a Community Centre and a public car park.

Further to the north is St Lawrence Primary School, Amery Hill Secondary School, Alton College and further housing. To the east is the Allen Gallery and Curtis Museum with the High Street and housing. To the south is further residential accommodation with the Watercress Line and the A31 and to the west is housing with open fields and the A339 beyond.

AREA INCLUDING COMPARISON WITH LOCAL/NATIONAL STANDARDS

The existing total site area is 0.39 acres (0.158 hectares).

There are no local/national standards for this type of site.

PLANNING POSITION

A detailed formal planning application was submitted to the County Planning Officer during December 2001 and a decision is expected during February 2002.

SUITABILITY FOR PROJECT

The existing library currently occupies a building that has come to the end of its useful life and no longer satisfies the needs of the library service. This scheme will provide a new public library that will be suitable for the town of Alton, using funding from the sale of part of the site for housing.

RESULTS OF TRIAL BORE HOLES

A site investigation has been undertaken at this site and revealed the ground conditions to be soft and very soft clays and silts. The site was found to have a high water table.

It is proposed to found this building on a piled raft. The superstructure will be a steel frame with in-situ concrete floor slabs.

ACCESS

The existing library site has an open frontage from Vicarage Hill to the south and from Amery Hill to the west. Library visitor's who use vehicles when visiting the site currently approach from the east and use the existing car park located adjacent to the compound at the eastern end of the site.

Upon division of the site and completion of the new building the main entrance to the library will be from Vicarage Hill to the east and the existing car park in this area will be removed to make way for the new building. A new delivery bay and a dedicated service entrance with a lay-by will be provided to the southern elevation of the site.

Existing lamp posts will be repositioned from Vicarage Hill to the south of the site and it will be necessary to redirect an overhead telecom line which currently crosses the site.

COMMENTS ON SITE LAYOUT

The existing library occupies the western end of a site which, with the exception of a grassed margin that flanks the library, is surfaced in tarmacadum. A redundant storage building is located at the eastern end of the site.

There are no significant trees or shrubs on this site although Tree Preservation Orders are applicable to three trees within an adjoining property.

The existing storage building to the east will be demolished and the car park area will be cleared to make way for the new library.

The new building will occupy the eastern end of the site with the main entrance approached by an open public area on the corner of Vicarage Hill. A high brick wall will divide the library and housing site and a walled garden will be established to the south and west of the library, forming a small private courtyard which can be accessed from the ground floor of the library.

The existing library service will remain on site until completion of the new building.

MAINS SERVICES POSITION

Existing electrical and gas mains services are considered to be of a sufficient capacity to be extended and adapted as required to serve the proposed new accommodation.

As part of this project it will be necessary to make improvements to the foul and surface water drainage systems on this site.

MAINTENANCE IMPLICATIONS

The site will continue to be maintained in accordance with current County Council standards.

LANDSCAPE PROPOSALS

It is proposed to establish a secure walled garden to the west of the library, forming small private courtyards, which will be accessible from the ground floor of the library. A tree will be planted in the gardens.

4. THE PROPOSED BUILDING/RATIONALISATION/CONVERSION

TYPE OF PROJECT, LAYOUT AND FACILITIES PROVIDED

It is proposed to construct a three storey, pitched roof, public library building to serve the town of Alton. The new building will provide the following accommodation:

Ground floor

- main lending library

- children's library

- children's reading area

- store

- public / service lift to upper floors (wheelchair accessible)

- Accessible WC

- counter and control point

- reception desk

- main entrance with automatic sliding doors

First floor

- lending and reference library

Second floor

- staff workroom

- office

- staff room and kitchen

- plant room

- staff WC

PLACES PROVIDED

The number of anticipated visitors to the new library is estimated to be 230,000 per annum.

PRESENT/REDUNDANT BUILDINGS AND FUTURE USE

The existing library is described as a Reema 43 system Nissan hut, built circa 1950. A recent condition survey reported that the building's structure is in a poor condition and is suffering from a considerable number of defects.

The large brick compound will be demolished prior to the commencement of the building works and following the completion of the new library the existing library building will be demolished.

TEMPORARY BUILDINGS

There are no temporary buildings on site and none will be required either during or upon completion of the works.

SITUATION ON SITE AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The proposed location of the new library has been carefully chosen in order to maximise the site potential, achieving a capital receipt to part fund the new library.

The position of the library limits building over existing underground mains services and limits the building footprint and correspondingly the amount of piling.

The building will provide a clear division between the library and proposed residential buildings and by virtue of its height will help define a public area at the entrance to the library.

The visual impact of the site will be a great improvement to the existing buildings and landscaping and planting of trees will further enhance the area.

TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION, FINISH AND APPEARANCE

The building will be constructed from facing brickwork and a pitched roof will have a plain clay tile covering. Horizontal timber louvers and blinds will be provided to the ground and first floor accommodation and windows will be double glazed with aluminium frames.

Part of the ground floor to the north of the building will be of a single storey construction and roof lights will provide natural lighting in this area.

FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED

The library will have level access throughout the ground floor and a lift will provide access to the upper floors. An accessible WC will be provided on the ground floor and the main entrance will have level access and automatic sliding doors. Two disabled car parking bays will be provide to the south of the building.

HEATING AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS

The building will have a dedicated plant room situated on the second floor which will house an electric fired boiler serving a low pressure hot water system feeding an under floor heating and cooling system.

Controlled passive ventilation will be encouraged by means of opening windows. Blinds and horizontal timber louvers to the southern elevation will minimise solar glare and heat gain. The mechanical systems will allow for some cooling to be available during the peaks of summer temperatures.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDING

The estimated annual energy consumption for the new building will meet that required by current Building Regulations.

ALTERNATIVE STANDARDS OF PROVISION CONSIDERED

Other potential sites in Alton have been considered and rejected for various reasons. The proposed site offers a good location, avoids a major decanting exercise and releases part of the site for housing development, the proceeds of which will part fund the construction of the new library.

The Library Service has been fully consulted during the development of this project and have agreed the proposals as being the most suitable in providing a new library in Alton.

CAR PARKING

A public car park is located directly south of the library and it is intended that the library user's be encouraged to use this facility. The proposals will attempt to deter vehicular traffic to the site and cater more for pedestrians and cyclists. A dedicated lay-by with two disabled car parking bays will be provided to serve the library.

CONSULTATIONS

The following have been consulted during the development of the project: County Librarian, County Planning Officer, East Hants District Council, Alton Town Council, Executive Member - Recreation, Heritage and Culture, Local County Councillor, Estates Practice.

5. THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT

The new accommodation has been carefully planned to make optimum use of available space on this site and will enable part of the site to be sold for housing development and the receipt be used to part fund the project.

6. BUILDING MANAGEMENT

CLEANING

The present contract for the library will be extended as necessary for the new building.

CATERING

Not applicable.

7. FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT

The new library will require complete fit-out as little or none of the existing furniture and equipment can be re-used. The shelving is over 30 years old, in a poor condition and cannot now be matched. The loose furniture is similarly worn and the computer equipment requires updating. The estimated cost for furniture and equipment, at current prices, is £90,000 for which there is neither capital or revenue budgets at present.

A sum of £150,000 will be required for additional book stock to meet the anticipated increase in demand and to comply with the Public Library Standards. It is proposed that this amount will have to be met from revenue budgets in the appropriate financial year.

8. STAFFING

The current staffing of the library is ten full time equivalent (FTE) but it is considered that some increase in staffing will be required to provide the wider range of services which will be offered in the new building. The staffing requirement will be subject to further review prior to the opening of the new library.

9. FEES

Architectural Services - Property, Business and

Regulatory Services

Quantity Surveying - Grant Associates

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering - Property, Business and

Regulatory Services Structural Engineering - R J Watkinson

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