Hampshire County Council Executive Lead Member for Children's Services (Education) 17 July 2007 Marnel Community Infant and Junior Schools, Basingstoke Report of the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

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

1	Summary
1.1	Marnel Infant and Junior Schools share a site in a residential area of Popley, in north Basingstoke. Both schools are of system construction, dating from the early 1970s. The Infant School has capacity for 210 pupils (with 173 currently in attendance) and the junior school for 240 pupils (229 currently in attendance).
1.2	It is now proposed to extend both schools to three forms of entry in order to meet an anticipated growth in pupil numbers from the development of 2,000 homes at North Popley.
1.3	The Early Years Centre, which is located in the Infant School, will be relocated to a new purpose-built Children's Centre at Chineham Park (and does not form part of this scheme). However, a community provision will be retained on site to serve the immediate community.
1.3	The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services has progressed the design of the proposed extensions to the Marnel Infant and Junior Schools and the purpose of this report is to outline the design proposals and seek approval to the attached design project appraisal.
1.4	The proposed scheme will maximise wellbeing and enhance the quality of place for all users by providing three-form entry Infant and Junior Schools in an area of Basingstoke with an anticipated growth in pupil numbers.
2	Recommendation
	That the Executive Lead Member advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that the design project appraisal for the scheme at Marnel Infant and Junior Schools, at an estimated cost of £3,168,000, excluding fees, is approved.
3	Scope of the Works
3.1	Infant School
	It is proposed to refurbish the area vacated by the Early Years Centre and to extend into an existing courtyard area to provide three classroom spaces and community facilities. A further extension will be made to the front of the school to provide a library area and an improved reception area to serve both the extended school and the retained community facilities.
3.2	Junior School
	The Junior School will be extended to the east of the existing two-storey teaching block, to provide six new classroom spaces, a larger main hall and a music and drama room within a two-storey block. Two existing classroom spaces will be reconfigured to form four group rooms. Full details of the accommodation to be provided are listed in the attached design project appraisal.
4	Funding and Timing
4.1	An allocation of £3,168,000, excluding fees, has been made in the Children's Services Capital Programme 2007/08.
4.2	The report to the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel on 20 March 2007 approved appointing Braziers under the Major Projects Framework Agreement, Braziers are assisting with the design development of the scheme for the pre-contract stage of the project.
4.3	A contract will be negotiated during August 2007, work will commence on site during January 2008 and be completed during November 2008.
5	Consultation with Local Member
5.1	Councillor Jane Frankum, the local Member for this area, has been consulted on the proposals and she has confirmed that she is supportive of the scheme.
Conclusion
The proposed extension and refurbishment scheme at Marnel Infant and Junior Schools will address the anticipated planned growth within North Popley and provide the necessary additional pupil places.

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 Lead Member for Children's Services (Education)

17 July 2007

Executive Member for Policy and Resources

18 July 2007

Project:	Marnel Community Infant and Junior Schools, Basingstoke
	Extension and refurbishment
Commencement date:	January 2008
Completion date:	November 2008
Planned year of start in accordance with Capital Programme:		2007/08

Recommendation:

That the building design project appraisal for the Marnel Infant and Junior Schools

scheme be approved.

1 Finance

Capital Expenditure	Current Estimate £'000	Capital Programme £'000
Buildings	3,168	3,168
Fees	523	523
Land to be purchased	_	_
Total	*3,691	3,691

* 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)	3,168	523	3,691
Total	3,168	523	3,691

Building Cost - Net Cost = £l,948 per m² excluding abnormals

- Gross Cost = £3,228 per m²

Devolved Capital allocations £'000 £'000

Infant Junior

2004/05 22 24

2005/06 22 24

2006/07 29 30

2007/08 29 33

Total 102 111

Landlord funded work connected with this scheme

Consideration is being given to increasing the scope of works for the currently planned re-roofing of the Junior School.

Value of land already acquired for this project

The land forming the site of the development is an integral part of the school campus and is incapable of disposal in isolation. The land was acquired at historic cost and its current value to the County Council is as part of the ground of the establishment.

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	-	-	-	194	194
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 £4,349 per year (£5.90 for each m² of new accommodation). The additional CO² consumption will be 23 tonnes per year.

Value for Money

Factors taken into consideration during the development process to ensure that the project is delivering value for money:

· Procurement - the project is being developed through the major projects framework with the aim of achieving some commonality and repetition from other projects to facilitate economies through repeat business and shared learning.

· Buildability/Specification - the early involvement of the contractor in the design development process has enabled them to contribute valuable experience, knowledge and expertise into achieving optimum design solutions in terms of buildability, quality and costs over the life of the building.

· Whole Life Costs - the development of the project has included an analysis of costs over the whole life-cycle of the building. A Whole Life Cost plan has been prepared for the project and benchmarked against similar projects carried out by the County Council. The WLC summary for this project compares favourably with other infant/primary schools being built by the County when adjusted for the extensions and alterations nature of this project.

· Sustainability - the scheme has been designed to comply with all the latest Building Regulation standards incorporating the current sustainability issues and in addition the Junior school boiler plant will be completely replaced using the latest condensing boiler technology to maximise efficiency of heating and hot water provision.

2 Details of site and existing infrastructure

Location/adjoining land and buildings

Marnel Infant and Junior Schools are located on a shared site within a residential area of Popley in North Basingstoke. The site is bounded on three sides by the residential estates that make up Popley. On the opposite side of Popley Way to the southwest of the site is the current John Hunt of Everest School, which is being relocated to a new facility in Merton Rise in September, whereupon the site will be cleared and redeveloped for housing purposes.

Area including comparison with local/national standards

The total site area is 6.55 acres (2.65 hectares). The DfES guideline for a school of this size is 6.35-7.26 acres (2.48-2.77 hectares).

Access

The school campus is accessed from Shetland Road, a feeder road parallel to Popley Way. For the duration of the works, the contractor will use a temporary access formed onto Shetland Road on the east side of the school to avoid conflict with the main school entrance. On completion of the project, this access will be retained in part to form the basis for a new access path onto the site to address concerns regarding the current drop-off arrangements at the school.

Existing buildings and temporary buildings

The existing buildings are of SCOLA construction, dating from the early 1970s. Both schools are mainly single-storey with higher roof areas over the kitchen and main hall area, with a two-storey junior teaching block.


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

Results of trial boreholes

A ground investigation revealed made ground on top of stiff clay overlying chalk rock. It is therefore recommended that deep strip foundations are used to take account of an existing mature oak tree to the south with a concrete suspended beam and block floor to the main hall.

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

It is proposed to extend and refurbish the existing schools to provide the following accommodation:

Junior School (currently has 8 classrooms)


· 6 new classrooms (plus 6 remaining existing)

· new main hall

· music/drama room

· 4 group rooms to be formed from 2 existing classrooms

· toilets (to include accessible)

· associated storage areas

· link corridor


Infant School


· 3 classroom areas

· library area

· reception area

· community space

· kitchenette

· toilets

· special needs space



Places provided

The proposed scheme will provide an additional 60 places within the infant school and an additional 120 places within the junior school. The schools will, on completion of the works, have 270 and 360 places respectively.

4 The Proposed Building

Type of construction, finish and appearance

Infant School

The courtyard extension to the infant school will be of steel-frame construction with brick panel facing, with materials chosen to complement the existing main building and a high-performance roof covering. Windows and doors will be powder-coated polyester aluminium. The entrance extension will have brick facing with a clerestorey to match the existing and a high-performance roof covering and curtain walling.

Junior School

The proposed two-storey extension to the junior school will be located adjacent to the existing two-storey teaching block, of steel-frame construction with brick panel facing and high-performance roof covering.


The new hall will overlap the existing hall, with a canopy link between the two, and a pitched roof rising to the height of the two-storey block to form a first floor gallery overlooking the hall, with glazing on both elevations.

Impact Assessment

All the new accommodation provided in both schools will have level and accessible external access and the south-facing existing infant school classrooms will also be provided with level access.


The junior school extension will include an accessible toilet and will be built with provision for a future lift, if required.

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

Infant School


Heating will be by radiators, with natural ventilation.


Junior School

Underfloor heating, with natural ventilation.

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 the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007, have been undertaken for the proposed scheme

5 External Works

Car parking

No additional parking spaces will be provided, but four spaces which are currently designated for use by the Early Years Centre will be redesignated for school use.

Landscape proposals

The courtyard to the infant school is currently used by the Early Years Centre and will be reduced in size by the siting of the proposed extension. On completion of the extension, this courtyard area will be re-landscaped with paved areas and soft planting.

A retaining wall is to be built along the south side of the school to provide level access to all classrooms and provide an edge to the junior school playground. The retaining wall will continue to form a new reception play area to the east of the school.

The layout of the junior school extension will create three new landscaped courtyard areas which will be visually linked via the glazed link and hall glazing. The rear courtyard will be cut into the bank and form an amphitheatre to the new hall. The existing school pond will be relocated with its newt population to the south of the extension alongside the new pedestrian entrance. Following the removal of the contractor's compound, a new informal hard and soft play area will be provided.

Situation on site and environmental impact

The courtyard extension to the infant school is only visible from inside the school. The entrance extension is more visible and will provide a welcoming point of entry from the car park.

The visual impact of the junior school extension on the adjoining houses and streetscape is limited due to the existence of mature trees along the school's boundary and the distance of the extension from the public highway.

An environmental survey has revealed the existence of newts within the school pond and the relocation of the pond and newts will be carried out to meet all statutory requirements.

6 Planning

A detailed planning application was submitted during June 2007.

7 Building management

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

8 Furniture and equipment

Additional requirements will be identified and costed. Suitable funding will be found to purchase any additional furniture and equipment required.

9 Professional resources

Architectural Services } Property, Business and Regulatory

Quantity Surveying } Property, Business and Regulatory

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering } Property, Business and Regulatory

Structural Engineering } WSP

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, Fire Officer, Access Officer, local County Councillor.