Hampshire County Council Executive Member for Policy and Resources Item 6 December 2006 Henry Tyndale School, Farnborough Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

Contact: Steve Clow Ext: 7858 e-mail: [email protected]

1	Summary
1.1	Henry Tyndale is an all-age community special school for pupils with complex and severe learning needs. The school is located at Ship Lane, Farnborough and is bounded by residential housing to the north, south and west, with the railway line to the east. The school capacity is 100 and there are currently 111 pupils in attendance.
1.2	The main school building was refurbished and extended in 2001 to provide additional classroom accommodation, following a reorganisation of special needs provision in the area.
1.3	The existing post-16 provision operates from a separate site in the centre of Fleet which consists of a semi-detached two-storey three-bed house. The building does not provide the space necessary for post-16 pupils, as the accommodation is small and access for pupils with physical difficulties is limited. Extending the property was considered, but was not cost-effective and only provided limited improvements to the existing space. It is therefore proposed to provide a purpose-built unit on the school site, to be funded from the sale of the current accommodation. The proposed unit will cater for a maximum of 10 post-16 students and four staff. With the provision of the specialist teaching base existing on-site, staff and students on the main site will also benefit from the facilities offered by the Unit overall. The total estimated cost of the scheme is £684,000, excluding fees.
1.4	The proposal to provide a purpose-built building will improve the quality of accommodation for post-16 pupils and maximise well-being for all users.
1.5	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.
2	Scope of the Works
2.1	The proposed new stand-alone accommodation is split into two sections, its form designed to minimise the impact on adjoining residential properties. One section will provide a kitchen with adjacent dining area, hygiene room with accessible toilet, a withdrawal space, cloakroom and associated plant rooms. The second area provides Post-16 provision, specialist teaching area and associated storage spaces.
2.2	The design of the proposed extension allows for future expansion to incorporate an additional "outreach" teaching base, when further funding becomes available. This will be formed within an area to the northwest of the teaching block, beneath the extended roof structure for the covered entrance.
2.3	An increasing proportion of pupils have significant physical difficulties and complex health needs and most pupils require vehicular transport for arrival/departure in the form of parental cars or the school minibus service. It is therefore proposed to rationalise the existing entry/egress arrangements as part of the proposed scheme in order to reduce on-street parking and vehicular movement issues at peak times in the school day.
2.4	Landscaping works around the proposed new building include the provision of garden areas on a level site, accessible from the dining area and main teaching building. A mixture of hard and soft surfaces will be provided to suit the nature of the development.
3	Funding and Timing
3.1	The scheme is to be partly funded from the proceeds of the land sale of the existing Post-16 house, "Coppers", 13-15 Reading Road South, Fleet. Approval to the full amount of the capital receipt being reinvested in this project was given by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources on 7 March 2006. An allocation of £486,000, excluding fees, has been made in the Children's Services Capital Programme 2006/07. The school will be making a contribution of £172,000, excluding fees, towards the scheme. Consideration is being given to the use of future years' devolved capital allocation and/or the use of revenue funding to address the shortfall.
3.2	Subject to the necessary approvals it is anticipated that tenders will be invited during February 2007, work will commence on site during April 2007 and be completed during December 2007.
4	Consultation with Local Member
4.1	Councillor Roderick Baulk, the local Member for this area, has been consulted on this design project appraisal and he is supportive of the scheme.
Conclusion
The proposed scheme will provide a stand-alone, purpose-built Post-16 building within the grounds of Henry Tyndale School, to replace the existing substandard accommodation located at "Coppers", 13-15 Reading Road South, Fleet.
Recommendation
That, subject to the views of the Executive Member for Education, the Executive Member for Policy and Resources approves the design project appraisal for the scheme at Henry Tyndale School, at an estimated cost of £684,000, excluding fees.

LINK(S) TO CORPORATE STRATEGY
	Yes	No
Hampshire safer and more secure for all		_
Maximising well-being	_
Enhancing our quality of place	_

This proposal does not link to the Corporate Strategy but, nevertheless, requires a decision because:

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.

NB the list excludes:

1 Published works

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

Title Location

Architect's plans PMIS file

Building Profile Reports TMH

Hampshire County Council

Building Design Project Appraisal

Executive Member for Policy and Resources

6 December 2006

Executive Member for Education

14 December 2006

Project:	Henry Tyndale School, Farnborough
	New Post-16 provision and site entry enhancements
Commencement date:	April 2007
Completion date:	December 2007
Planned year of start in accordance with Capital Programme:		2006/07

Recommendation:

That the building design project appraisal for the Henry Tyndale School Post-16 Unit

scheme be approved.

1 Finance

Capital Expenditure	Current Estimate £'000	Capital Programme £'000
Buildings	684	486
Fees	104	78
Land to be purchased	_	_
Total	788	*564

* The means by which the difference between the Current Estimate and the Capital Programme

allocation is to be met is shown in the table below.

Financial Provision for Total Scheme	Buildings £'000	Fees £'000	Total cost £'000
1 From own Resources:
a) Capital Programme (as above)	486	78	564
b) School - devolved capital	172	19	191
Total	658	97	**755

** Consideration is being given to the use of future years' devolved capital allocation and/or the

use of revenue funding to address the shortfall

Building Cost - Net Cost = £1,818 per m² (excluding abnormals)

- Gross Cost = £2,224 per m²

Devolved Capital allocations

As at 6 November 2006, the School have £158,000 devolved formula capital available for the proposed scheme. The School will make a contribution of £33,000 from the 2007/08 devolved capital allocation.

Landlord funded work connected with this scheme

There are no landlord-funded works associated with this scheme.

Value of land already acquired for this project

Although the proposed development site can be disposed of independently, by proceeding with the current proposed development a capital receipt will be achieved from the release and sale of the property in Fleet.

Revenue implications

	(a) Employees £'000	(b) Other £'000	(a+b) *Net Current Expenditure £'000	(c) Capital Charges £'000	(a+b+c) Total Net Expenditure £'000
Revenue Implications Additional+ /Reductions	-	-	-	41	41
Unit cost (£) (e.g. per place)	-	-	-	-	-
% variation to Committee's budget	-				-
Number of additional Staff (fte)	-				-

The overall level of the revenue budget for funding schools will (from April 2006) be prescribed by central government, and capital projects have no bearing on the level of this budget. Therefore, this proposed project will have no bearing on the overall level of the Children's Services budget, extra costs and savings being met from the same overall schools' funding level.

Energy costs

The estimated annual energy consumption for the new accommodation will meet that required by current Building Regulations. It is anticipated that the increase in fuel cost for the school will be in the order of £902 per year (£4.10 for each m² of new accommodation). The CO² consumption will be 7.5 tonnes per year.

2 Details of site and existing infrastructure

Location/adjoining land and buildings

Henry Tyndale School is located in a residential area at Ship Lane, Farnborough. The site is bounded by housing to the north, south and west, with the railway line running along the east of the site.

Area including comparison with local/national standards

The total site area is 2.96 acres (1.198 hectares). DfES guidelines do not apply to special schools.

Access

The main vehicular and pedestrian access to the site is from Ship Lane. Due to the nature of this school, most pupils require vehicular transport for arrival and departure, either by parental car or the school minibus service. Each minibus requires to pick up/drop off pupils near the main entrance doors. Consequently there is a time factor for all vehicles to filter through the school entry which can lead to on-street parking/waiting and congestion.


It is therefore proposed to rationalise the existing entry/egress arrangements by introducing a new entry point from Ship Lane and redesignating the existing entry to be an exit point, creating a larger loop of two exits and maintaining a one-way system. This will allow more vehicles to line up within the school site and exit more swiftly, thus reducing on-street parking and vehicular movement at peak times in the school day.

For the duration of the works, the contractor will access the site via the exit gate. No deliveries or movement or plant will be permitted between 8.30-9.30 am and 2.30-3.30 pm on school days. It will be a requirement for a banksman to be in attendance at all times and no reversing onto the main highway will be permitted.

Existing buildings and temporary buildings

There are no temporary buildings on site and none are required for this scheme.

Results of trial boreholes

A previous investigation showed ground conditions comprising loose sands and gravels with varying thicknesses of fill above. Subject to further more specific site investigations which are to be undertaken, the foundations for the building will be trench fill to a depth of approximately 1.5m with suspended beam and block ground floors.

The proposed foundations will take account of the adjacent pipelines crossing the site.

Mains services position

The existing mains services are considered to be of sufficient capacity to be extended and adapted as required to serve the proposed additional accommodation.

3 Scope of the Project

Type of project, layout and facilities provided

The proposed building has two wings, providing the following accommodation:

Teaching wing

· Post-16 unit

· Specialist teaching space

· Associated storage areas

· External covered area (for possible future expansion)]

Support wing

· Kitchen

· Hygiene room with two toilets (one accessible)

· Withdrawal space

· Cloak area

· Plant rooms


· The two wings are linked by a dining/general circulation area.


Places provided

The school will continue to provide 100 places, however they will now be all on the main school site.

4 The Proposed Building

Type of construction, finish and appearance

The proposed new building is split into two sections and its form and mass are designed to minimise impact on the adjoining residential property.


The `Support building' is of single-storey brick and block construction with high-performance membrane roof. Rooflights will be provided in the core areas to maximise natural light.


The `Teaching building' is also of single-storey brick and block construction, with aluminium windows and doors and standing seam metal roof, to reflect the character of the existing school roofs. The roof will have an overhang to provide a covered entrance area and covered external garden areas to the southwest elevation.

Impact Assessment

The proposed Unit has level access throughout. An accessible toilet and hygiene provision will be located on the south elevation.

Assessment of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act has been considered in the development of this proposal. No adverse impact has been identified in terms of race, creed or gender.

Heating and ventilation systems

A gas-fire high-efficiency condensing boiler will serve an underfloor heating system.

The teaching wing will be naturally ventilated. The support wing will be mechanically ventilated with duty and standby extract fans in the hygiene and toilet areas.

Fire risk assessment

In consultation with the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, a fire risk assessment concludes that this is a low fire risk category building. Therefore a sprinkler system will not be installed.

Health and safety

A designer's risk assessment and a design health and safety plan, in accordance with Regulation 15 of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 1994, have been undertaken for the proposed scheme

5 External Works

Car parking

Three additional car parking spaces will be provided within the existing car parking area, plus a dedicated space for the unit minibus. A number of bays are also to be relocated to allow for the new entry point.

Landscape proposals

Landscaping works around the new unit will provide external garden areas on a level site, accessible from the dining area and the main teaching building. A mixture of hard and soft surfaces will be provided to suit the nature of the development. A new gate and boundary fence will be incorporated to provide adequate security for the unit, staff and students.

Situation on site and environmental impact

In light of the proximity of the Farnborough Conservation Area and the Grade II listing of the adjoining property, the proposed building is sited and designed to have minimum environmental impact, being low in height and scale at the southern boundary, gradually rising up as it moves towards the existing school building. Early consultation with Hampshire County Council Environment Department and Rushmoor Borough Council (Principal Conservation Officer) has taken place and in principle the proposals are supported.

The school site is very tight and development is restricted by the position of mature oak trees to the north and east of the site. It will be necessary to remove a sycamore tree and three almond trees in order to carry out the proposals. All trees which are to be retained will be protected in accordance with current best practice.

6 Planning

A detailed planning application was submitted during October 2006.

7 Building management

Existing arrangements will apply to cleaning, catering, local management and maintenance arrangements.

8 Furniture and equipment

Requirements to be identified and funding provided within the Children's Services block allocation for furniture and equipment.

9 Professional resources

Architectural Services } Property, Business and Regulatory

Quantity Surveying } Property, Business and Regulatory

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering } Atkins

Structural Engineering } R J Watkinson

10 Consultations

The following have been consulted during the development of the project: Headteacher and Governors of the school, Children's Services Department, Environment Department, Access Officer, Fire Officer, local County Councillor.