Hampshire County Council Item 12

Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel

25 July 2003

New Opportunities Fund - Sports Halls at

Alderman Quilley Secondary School, Eastleigh

Hounsdown Secondary School, Totton

Test Valley School, Stockbridge

Fernhill School, Farnborough - update

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1

Summary

1.1

The proposal is to provide new Sports Halls at Alderman Quilley, Hounsdown and Test Valley Secondary Schools and accordingly initial bids of £1,024,000, £999,000 and £1,432,000 respectively (excluding fees) were made. At the 17 April 2002 meeting of the Executive Member, Education, it was reported that provisional New Opportunities Funding (NOF) of £6,634,000 has been allocated to Hampshire in order to bring about a step change in the provision of sporting facilities for young people and the community generally.

1.2

Further funding will come from the Education Committee's 2003/04 Minor Works Capital Programme, along with contributions from the individual schools.

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 appraisals.

1.4

This report also provides an updated position on the Sports Hall facility at Fernhill School, Farnborough, which was approved by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources on 10 April 2003.

2.

Scope of the Works

2.1

The work at each site comprises the construction of a single-storey curved roof Sports Hall. The building will provide a four-badminton court sized hall (18 x 33m), appropriate storage and changing facilities to accommodate two classes of 30 pupils and for community use outside of school hours.

2.2

Alderman Quilley

Alderman Quilley is a medium-sized comprehensive school located within a residential district of Eastleigh. The main school buildings were constructed in the 1960's. There are currently 686 pupils on roll.

The location of the sports hall was chosen because it is one of the few areas that can accommodate the footprint of a building of this size without impacting on designated playing pitches. Locating the building close to the main car park also avoids the need for providing separate community parking, whilst also directing visitors away from the centre of the campus. It is intended that community users would only use the facility outside school hours.

2.3

Hounsdown

Hounsdown School is a large comprehensive school located on the edge of the residential district of Totton. The main school buildings were constructed during the 1960's. There are currently 1,195 pupils on roll.

The location of the sports hall was chosen because it is one of the few areas that can accommodate the footprint of a building of this size without impacting on designated playing pitches. It is intended that community users would only use the facility outside school hours and will use a car park to be provided next to the new hall. The position of the building also completes a phase of a development plan which includes recently completed drama, art and general teaching facilities.

2.4

Test Valley

Test Valley School is a medium-sized comprehensive school located on the outskirts of Stockbridge. There are various different types of buildings on site, constructed in the 1950's/70's and 90's. There are currently 697 pupils on roll.

The location of the sports hall was chosen because it is one of the few areas on the site that can accommodate the footprint of a building of this size without impacting on designated playing pitches. It is intended that community users would use the lower car park and access the facility via a new path running alongside the existing tennis courts. The building has been dug into the chalk hillside to significantly reduce its impact when viewed from neighbouring properties and across the valley.

3.

Procurement

3.1

At the 16 October 2002 meeting of the Executive Member, Policy & Resources, it was agreed to develop a strategy to implement a standard design solution in respect of the NOF Sports Halls. The strategy would use a two-stage tendering process with Best Value criteria in making the initial contractor selection, to incorporate four NOF Sports Halls plus two Sports Halls outside of the NOF programme. Early involvement of a preferred contractor is desirable in terms of developing this strategy.

3.2

At the Executive Member for Policy and Resources meeting on 10 April 2003 the project appraisal for Fernhill School was approved and it was agreed to appoint Brazier under a partnering arrangement for Stage 2 design development. The facilities at Alderman Quilley, Hounsdown and Test Valley are similar to Fernhill and it is proposed to incorporate the schemes into the partnering arrangement with Brazier to achieve economies through standardisation, repetition and common supply chains.

4.

Funding and Timing

4.1

Since the initial bids were submitted, NOF have involved Sport England in the assessment process which has resulted in the requirement for additional accommodation and revised specifications. Together with delays in the NOF approval process, this has added significantly to the costs of the schemes which have been reviewed and updated. There is a shortfall in funding for the NOF portfolio which is currently being shown against NOF funding. A funding strategy is currently being developed which will provide sufficient funding to enable the NOF portfolio to proceed. An updated position statement will be reported in a future Major Projects update report.

4.2

Subject to a satisfactory outcome of the Stage 2 NOF bids, which it is hoped will be formally approved at the end of July 2003, the following funding, excluding fees, is anticipated:

NOF

Education

Minor Works/

Cap. Projects

School

Contribution

Total

Alderman Quilley

1,230,000

42,000

1,272,000

Hounsdown

1,193,000

-

66,000

1,259,000

Test Valley

1,501,000

189,000

42,000

1,732,000

Fernhill

1,049,000

185,000

42,000

1,276,000

4.3

Subject to the necessary approvals it is anticipated that works will commence and complete as below:

School

Commence on Site

Completion Date

Alderman Quilley

November 2003

May 2004

Hounsdown

October 2003

April 2004

Test Valley

September 2003

April 2004

5.

Advance Works

5.1

Fernhill

5.1.1

The new Sports Hall facility at Fernhill School was approved by the Executive Member (P&R) on 10 April 2003. Since that approval, the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) administrators have required additional accommodation and a specification upgrade to the scheme for their Stage 2 evaluation which has increased the cost of the project. The scheme has now received Stage 2 approval from NOF (conditional) and it is anticipated that construction can commence during the summer holiday period. The revised funding arrangement is detailed in Section 4.2. This compares with the original reported figure of £1,080,000, excluding fees.

5.1.2

In order to maintain the construction programme and minimise the potential for inflationary costs, it has been necessary to give authority to the contractor to place orders for structural steelwork which is on long delivery.

5.2

Test Valley

There are two elements of enabling works that will be carried out during the summer holiday period 2003:

(a) The upgrade and widening of the lower access road is a planning condition related to the community operation of the Sports Hall. It can only be carried out during a summer holiday period and if the current summer period is missed, then a significant delay will occur. An instruction has been given to the Environment Department to procure the work as a first call on the capital programme funding.

(b) Bulk chalk excavation - the nature of chalk requires good weather for its excavation and disposal. The proximity of the existing school entrance, together with the requirement to remove the spoil via existing vehicular and pedestrian routes makes it essential that this work is carried out this summer to avoid delays, disruption and health and safety issues. Authority is required to proceed with the implementation of this work prior to NOF approval.

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 appraisals for the NOF Sports Hall schemes at Alderman Quilley, Hounsdown and Test Valley Schools.

2. The appointment of Braziers to a partnering arrangement to complete the projects at Alderman Quilley, Hounsdown and Test Valley Schools.

3. The revised funding arrangements for Fernhill School.

4. The enabling works at Test Valley School, ie construction of the lower access road and the bulk chalk excavation be completed prior to NOF approval with the former funded from the Education Capital Programme.