Hampshire County Council

Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee Item 7

22 January 2004

New accommodation block - Calshot Activities Centre

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage and the County Treasurer

Contact: Stuart Nundy / Bevis Ingram 5015/7508

1. Background

1.1 Calshot Activities Centre occupies the greater part of Calshot Spit at the mouth of Southampton Water. The residential facilities at the Centre are provided currently by three existing blocks, giving 150 bed spaces in total. Much of the existing accommodation is in former barrack style blocks dating from the early 20^th Century. Whilst the County Council and Calshot have worked hard to maintain the functionality and decorative order of these buildings, it is the case that schools, teachers, young people, corporate clients and adults now have expectations which far exceed the standard that we can currently provide in the existing buildings.

1.2 As a consequence, Calshot's user evaluations regularly record dissatisfaction with the nature of the accommodation.

1.3 It is proposed that enhanced and additional accommodation be provided by the construction of a new purpose built block, creating 60 new bed spaces in 20 rooms, with associated individual toilet and shower facilities. The design of the new block allows for good segregation of groups within it.

1.4 The new block forms part of the current three year strategy for the Outdoor Service. The strategy focused upon the contribution that the Outdoor Service could make to enabling the County Council to meet its corporate objectives, particularly as they apply to Maximising Life Opportunities for the whole community, but particularly young people, and Improving Services. The project will enable the Centre to more effectively contribute to the policy of enabling access for all young people to challenging outdoor activity. It will also provide the flexibility required to meet the accommodation expectations of adult and corporate clients which are key to the financial sustainability of the centre.

1 The Proposed New Accommodation Block

1.1 The new block will house up to 60 people in 20 bedrooms. Each room will contain two single beds and a third, bunk, bed. This gives the Centre the flexibility of housing three young people, or one or two adults as appropriate. All the ground floor rooms will provide accessible accommodation. Toilets and shower provision will break with the "communal" provision in other accommodation blocks, provided instead as individual units, ensuring privacy and accessibility. En-suite was considered but is not wholly appropriate for school groups. A meeting area/foyer, drying rooms and ancillary service rooms make up the remainder of the building.

1.2 Although providing up to 60 new beds, the new block will allow Calshot the additional capacity necessary to reduce the unsatisfactory density of beds in other blocks on site, creating more attractive and desirable rooms elsewhere. As a consequence the overall bed space within the Centre will rise by only 15 over current provision, but the overall number of people staying at the centre will rise significantly due to the more effective utilisation of bed spaces.

2 Capital costs

2.1 Initial estimates of building costs for the new block are set at approximately £1.15 million. This includes fees and second quarter 2004 inflation. It also includes all fixed fixtures and fittings, but not items such as bedding, mattresses or curtains which will be provided from other Calshot budget headings.

2.2 Income analysis suggests the following revenue outcomes from operation of the new accommodation.

2.3 Marginal costs related to occupancy of the new block will be approximately £16,000 (broken down as below)

In addition annual fixed operating costs for the new block are calculated at £20,000. To this total of £36,000 should be added the contribution to the balance of overheads of £10,000 and contribution to centre wide minor works funding of £5,000.

2.4 Calshot thus has the ability to cover all the associated running costs of the new block from its additional earnings.

2.5 Capital funding for the project is identified as follows. It should be understood that the funding of the project will be finalised with the Recreation & Heritage capital programme for 2004 - 2006.

1. The maximum allocated. Detailed budget discussions will determine the final contribution.

2. To be repaid by Calshot over a period of up to 10 years.

3 Project appraisal

3.1 The timetable for project development and approval is as follows:

January 22 - PRC briefing

February 18 - Full project appraisal to Executive Member, R&H

March 24 - Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel

April 8 - Executive Member, P & R.

The build timetable is as follows:

Project Appraisal Jan 04

Planning Application March 04

Tender Action June 04

Start on Site Sept 04

Completion Spring 05 (April/May)

3.2 There are a number of final details within the project appraisal that still require clarification, and a full project appraisal will be presented to the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage Decision Day on February 18.

3.3 Following this decision, the final decision will be taken by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources on April 8

Recommendations

1. That members support the case for the building of a new accommodation block at Calshot Activities Centre, and see this as a priority project for completion within the outlined timetable

2. That the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage be supported in taking a clear decision regarding the full project appraisal to be presented on February 18, and that he should seek to support the Executive Member for Policy and Resources in taking a final decision on this project in April 2004.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

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.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

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

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