Hampshire County Council

Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel Item

24 January 2006

Cowplain Community School, Waterlooville -

Provision of a Floodlight Synthetic Turf Pitch (STP)

and Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA)

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits with the Corporate Strategy

This scheme will impact on the delivery of all Corporate Aims, focusing most immediately on:

Aim 1 - maximising life opportunities: the proposal to provide a synthetic turf pitch and multi-use games area will have an immediate benefit for the school and local community.

Aim 5 - improving services: all users of the proposed new facilities will benefit from these proposals.

1

Summary

1.1

Cowplain Community School is located at Hart Plain Avenue, Cowplain, within the Borough of Havant. There are currently 1,075 pupils (11-16 years) on the school roll, most of whom have transferred from Padnell, Denmead, Hart Plain and Meadowlands Junior Schools. The school is keen to develop the Government's Extended Schools initiative, promoting lifelong learning by community use of schools.

1.2

In the long-term, Cowplain School wishes to develop the broadest range of facilities and services to serve the needs of pupils and the local community. In terms of sports provision, the aspiration is to facilitate enhanced access to current sports facilities in addition to the development of new. The proposed scheme will provide a floodlit Synthetic Turf Pitch (STP) and floodlit Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). The STP and MUGA will meet the increased school and community demand for formal winter games pitches, especially football, netball and tennis courts.

1.3

The total estimated cost of the scheme to provide an STP and MUGA is £755,000, (excluding fees).

1.4

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services has progressed the design of the proposed STP and MUGA and the purpose of this report is to outline the proposals and seek approval to the scheme.

2

Scope of the Works

2.1

It is proposed to provide a 103m x 68m sand/rubber crumb filled long-pile STP to be used primarily for football. The MUGA, with overall dimensions of 64m x 35m, is to be surfaced in bitmac and marked out with four tennis courts, three netball courts and two five-a-side pitches. The STP and MUGA will be located on the existing school playing fields on the southeast boundary of the school site. Both will be fenced off with 3.6m high galvanised weld mesh ball-stop fencing. A double-leaf vehicle access and a pedestrian gate will be provided.

2.2

The STP will be floodlit using eight 15m high galvanised columns. The height of the floodlit columns has a bearing on the distribution of light on the pitch both in evenness and spillage. At 15m the lamps can be set to cut out any tendency for glare from the lights directly.

3.

Foul/Storm Water Drains

3.1

There are three sewers situated under the STP which were identified at the initial feasibility stage. It was originally intended to build over these sewers and to make a minor diversion of a private sewer to eliminate a manhole that was known to exist. A subsequent detailed survey identified further manhole chambers buried 600mm below the surface of the existing grass pitches, including a further private sewer connection that could not be identified by the usual survey done at feasibility stage. Following lengthy negotiations with Southern Water it was agreed that the pitch could be laid over the sewers subject to a build-over agreement following a further detailed survey of the condition of the drains, and the manholes being marked and accessible. However the Football Foundation who are providing significant funds to the project did not agree to this approach. Following the detailed survey by specialist drainage consultants it became evident that the sewers were not in good condition and needed replacing in the near future. It was therefore proposed that the only practical option was to install new drainage and divert around the new STP. This has impacted on the cost and timing of the project.

3.2

The cost of diverting the drains is around £100,000 excluding fees. It is proposed that this be funded as follows:

· Policy and Resources capital repairs £40,000

· Education Capital programme £40,000

· School £20,000

These costs have been included in the financial summary detailed in paragraph 6.1. Whilst Southern Water recognise that the drains are in poor condition, as they are not currently `failing' it has not been possible to secure a contribution to the diversion from them as they do not consider it a sufficiently high priority.

3.3

It is not standard practice within the PBRS department to arrange a detailed survey of drainage services for schemes at feasibility stage as this would be very costly given the number of schemes involved. However, it is recognised that funding this early investigation at Cowplain would have enabled these costs to have been identified at an earlier stage. The diversion of the foul and storm water drains would always have formed part of the scheme. In the absence of a detailed survey of the services it would not have been possible to have foreseen these costs. Equally it is accepted that the school should be able to rely on the estimate given. Notwithstanding, it remains the case that the additional cost could never have been avoided. Exceptionally the case will be made for additional funding from Policy and Resources of £40,000 albeit this is not a cost that would normally fall to the landscape budget. The Director of Children's Services helpfully contributed a further £40,000, leaving the residual £20,000 to fall on the school.

4

Planning

4.1

Planning permission for this scheme was granted on 27 February 2004.

5

Procurement

5.1

It is intended to use a traditional procurement route for the works via a competitive tendering process.

6

Funding and Timing

6.1

The total estimated cost of the scheme to provide an STP and MUGA is £755,000, (excluding fees). The following funding is available for this scheme (all figures shown are exclusive of fees).

£

Education Capital Programme 05/06 (New Opportunities Fund) 139,000

Education Capital Programme 06/07 40,000

Policy and Resources External Landscape Budget 06/07

(subject to confirmation of 06/07 budget) 40,000

Football Foundation funding 319,626

School 161,250

Havant Borough Council 13,350

*£713,226

* The gap between the funding and the estimate will be eliminated through competitive tendering and savings made on return of tenders.

6.2

Subject to the necessary approvals it is anticipated that tenders will be invited during February 2006, work will commence on site during May 2006 and be completed during September 2006.

7

Consultation with Local Member

7.1

Councillor Ian Beagley, the local Member for this area, has been consulted on this scheme and his comments are:

"I am very concerned that the particular siting of this pitch has caused the expenditure of £80K of Hampshire County Council funding which must have been largely unforeseen. When the drain problem became apparent an alternative planning application was submitted to move the pitch to another part of the school grounds but this was withdrawn before it went before the Regulatory Committee. Had this option been followed through, Hampshire County Council would not have incurred the expenditure of £80K which it is being suggested it should bear. I consider that the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel should not authorise this expenditure before examining fully and transparently why a cheaper option, which does not entail diverting drains, cannot be used."

7.2

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services will respond to the points that Councillor Beagley has made, at the meeting.

Conclusion

This scheme will provide an STP and MUGA for use by the school and the local community, promoting lifelong learning opportunities.

Recommendation

That, subject to the resolution of outstanding technical and planning issues, the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that the scheme for the Cowplain Community School at an estimated cost of £755,000, excluding fees, be approved.