Hampshire County Council

Executive Member, Policy & Resources Item 2

14 February 2002

Hounsdown Secondary School, Totton

Report of the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1.

Summary

1.1

Hounsdown Secondary School currently has 1,123 pupils on roll. The original school was constructed during 1969 and as the number of pupils attending the school has increased over the years, additional teaching accommodation has been added, the latest development being a new drama block completed during 2000.

1.2

The forecast number of pupils is due to rise in future years and due to the need for additional pupil places an allocation of £574,000, excluding fees, has been included in the Education Committee's 2001/02 Capital Programme for a scheme to provide an additional 104 Basic Need places.

1.3

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services has progressed the design of the additional Basic Need accommodation and the purpose of this report is to outline the proposals and seek approval to the attached design project appraisal.

2.

Scope of the Works

2.1

It is proposed to construct a single storey teaching block on an area of grassed open amenity space to the east of existing buildings on site. The accommodation will provide two art classrooms, art / pottery room, textiles room, general teaching room, kiln room, office, wet store room, two general stores, plant room and central corridor / circulation space.

2.2

The new building will have a central corridor fitted with roof-lights to maximise natural lighting. The front of the building will house the main entrance which will connect to an existing footpath, linking to existing accommodation elsewhere on site. This area will contain the general teaching classroom, art / pottery room and ancillary accommodation. The rear of the building will have views over the woodland of Newman's Copse to the east and will contain the larger art teaching spaces. This area has been designed to allow for the provision of outside teaching areas should suitable funding be made available in the future.

2.3

As part of this scheme internal alterations will be undertaken in two teaching blocks elsewhere on site to provide better organised teaching accommodation. This work will comprise the conversion of an existing textiles room to food technology, enabling food technology to be situated in two adjoining classrooms. Elsewhere two existing art rooms will be converted to general teaching spaces.

3.

Funding and Timing

3.1

An allocation of £574,000, excluding fees, has been included in the Education Committee's 2001/02 Capital Programme for these works and in order to realise all of the proposals outlined in the attached design project appraisal additional funding has been made available as follows (excluding fees): £'s

Education-Modernisation Suitability Funding 126,000

School - devolved capital 126,000

School - delegated budget 20,000

The total combined funding for these works is £846,000, excluding fees.

3.2

During the summer of 2001 the existing maths block at this school was refurbished by TAB Projects (Southampton) Ltd. It is therefore intended that this scheme be negotiated with TAB on a Develop and Construct arrangement. TAB performed well on this previous project, has a good working relationship with the school, has previous knowledge of the site and have a tract record of delivering projects cost effectively within a fixed financial framework. This course of action has been agreed by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services and the Chief Executive.

3.3

Subject to the necessary approvals it is anticipated that the scheme will be negotiated during February / March 2002 and work will commence during April 2002. The new art teaching block is due for completion during December 2002 and the internal reorganisation and refurbishment of the existing accommodation will be completed during February 2003.

Conclusion

These proposals will provide the required amount of additional Basic Need teaching spaces, in a purpose built teaching block, to accommodate the anticipated rise in pupil numbers at this school. The scheme will also enable better organised art, design and technology accommodation and improved general teaching classrooms. The negotiation of this scheme will provide best value and accordingly approval is sought to the attached building design appraisal.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report and attached appraisal.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE FILE

Building Management System reports, Property, Management &

Site surveys and investigations, Information File - PB&R

Architect's plans,

Planning application.

EMP&R0202e