Hampshire County Council Item 7

Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel

25 July 2003

Hatch Warren Infant and Junior Schools, Basingstoke

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1

Summary

1.1

A review of primary education has been undertaken in the southwest area of Basingstoke which includes Hatch Warren Infant and Junior Schools. This identified a significant excess capacity in the area served by Beechdown Primary School and the surrounding schools. It has therefore been proposed that children from Beechdown be relocated to other schools within the area, in addition to investment in improvements in education facilities, including Hatch Warren. The existing accommodation would be insufficient to cater for the additional children and therefore extra classroom space is required.

1.2

Hatch Warren Infant and Juniors Schools are located in a residential area of Basingstoke, at Gershwin Road. The original school buildings are of traditional load-bearing brick construction, erected in the 1980/90's. This scheme will provide additional classroom space and facilitate the removal of temporary classrooms from the site.

1.3

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services has progressed the design of the proposed additional accommodation and the purpose of this report is to outline the design proposals and seek approval to the attached design project appraisal at an estimated cost of £1.86m excluding fees.

2.

Scope of the Works

Infant School:

It is proposed to build two additional classrooms and a shared resource area. The extension will link to the southernmost classroom on the lower level, access to which will be relocated to the shared resource area betweem the existing and proposed classrooms.

Junior School:

It is proposed to build an additional four classrooms as a continuation of the existing classroom layout. Additional resource and group rooms have been added to service the classrooms, plus a self-contained library and a music/drama room. These works include the Seed Challenge Initiative works.

3.

Funding and Timing

3.1

Subject to approval of the Education Capital Programme update report being considered by the Leader at his decision day meeting on 25 July 2003 it is intended add the project to the capital programme and provide funds of £1.698m (excluding fees), initially through the School Balances Loan Scheme in advance of capital receipts and developers contributions. Funding of £69,000 (excluding fees) is also being made available by the Infant School and £93,000 (excluding fees) by the Junior School (including the Seed Challenge Initiative funds).

3.2

Subject to the necessary approvals it is anticipated that tenders will be agreed during September 2003 and work will commence on site during January 2004 and be completed during September 2004.

4.

Procurement

4.1

Subject to the necessary approvals, an early appointment of a preferred contractor would resolve issues regarding programming and would allow the works to commence on site in January 2004 and be completed during September 2004.

4.2

As outlined in the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel meeting of 26 March 2003 and the Executive Member, Policy and Resources of 10 April 2003, it is proposed to package the works under a partnership arrangement that will be linked to the Major Projects Framework Agreement.

4.3

It is therefore proposed to combine this scheme with Manor Fields Infant and Junior Schools as a package of work through a Framework Contractor.

Recommendation

That the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that approval be given to:

1. The design project appraisal for Hatch Warren Infant and Junior Schools, Basingstoke, at an estimated cost of £1.86m, excluding fees.

2. The contract being combined with Manor Fields Infant and Junior Schools and completed under a partnership arrangement linked to the Major Projects Framework Agreement.