Agenda item

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0 Purpose of report

 

1.1    The purpose of this report is to update Members on the Girdwood Hub project. Member s will be aware that they were informed last month that the Council had received notification from SEUPB that Peace III funding for the delivery of the Girdwood Hub has been approved and that a letter of offer would follow. 

 

1.2    This Letter of Offer has now been received approving funding to the Girdwood Hub project to a total value of £9,597,249 under ‘Priority 2 -Contributing to a Shared Society- Theme 1 Creating Public Shared Spaces’ of the Peace III programme with Belfast City Council as the Lead Partner for the delivery of the project.

 

         Key Issues

 

         Current Status of Submission with SEUPB

 

2.1    The Director of Property and Projects, accompanied by a Senior Officer from Legal Services, met with representatives of SEUPB on Tuesday 15 October to have initial discussions on the terms and  conditions contained within the Letter of Offer and the requirements placed upon Council for drawing down the funding.

 

2.2    There are a number of key conditions which have been attached to the Project, these include:

 

·       A review of the key areas of risk identified in the Economic Appraisal should be initiated within 6 months (this will be undertaken by SEUPB in the form of desk exercise)

·       It is desirable that the housing on the wider site is developed as integrated housing but caveated by the statement that this is a wider policy issue that is outside the control of the Council

·       The Council facilitating SEUPB in carrying out reviews at set intervals to ensure that key milestones have been achieved in relation to planning approval, DSD approval for the masterplan, land transfer, infrastructure and car parking and DEL approval for the BMC relationship

·       Monitoring of projects outputs, outcomes and impacts should continue for a period of at least three years from opening to inform any post project evaluation and understanding of how the shared the facility is in terms of user demographics

·       That the project is commenced within 24 months of the date of the Letter of Offer

·       That there are no substantial changes to the scope/scale of the project as described in the business case

 

         None of the conditions attached to the Letter of Offer are believed to be ‘show stoppers’.  Work is ongoing with SEUPB in order to ensure that the Letter of Offer can be signed within the designated 6 week period.

2.3    The project lifetime has been defined as a period of 44 months commencing on 1 November, 2011 and completing on 30 June 2015.  Final claim for expenditure must be submitted to SEUPB by 30 September 2015. It should be noted that given the tight timeline there is very little slack in the timescales for delivery or slippage etc.  The construction element of the build will be closely managed by staff from the Project Management Unit.

 

         Current Status of Design and Tender Documentation

 

2.4    Members will be aware that Strategic Policy and Resources Committee has previously agreed that Council work ‘at risk’ on the Hub project in order to ensure that the tight timescale would be met.  To that end Capita Symonds has been appointed as design team and work is ongoing in partnership with the Hub Forum to progress the initial design and schedule of accommodation for the Hub. 

 

         Given the project lifeline runs from November 2011 Council can now claim back fees paid the Design Team.

 

2.5    Following robust community consultation a schedule of accommodation and design has now been agreed and includes:

 

·       A multi-purpose hall

·       Dedicated youth space

·       Classroom space for Belfast Metropolitan College (it should be noted that BMC have specific minimum requirements/standards for classroom sizes etc to ensure they meet with Education Training Inspectorate Standards)

·       A number of small flexible multi-purpose meeting rooms

 

 

·       Fitness suite and sauna/steam area with changing facilities

·       A cafe

 

2.6    Following on from the issue of PQQ (Pre Qualification Questionnaire) documentation in October, 2103 Council are now working to issue ITT (Invitation to Tender) documentation to 6 selected contractors.  It is envisaged that the successful contractor will be appointed by the end of December, 2013 with construction commencing on site by January, 2014. All of the above is dependent on confirmation of planning permission and discussions are continuing with the Planning Service regarding this.

 

2.7    Following a number of workshops with the Hub Forum and Council Officers a number of social clauses have been included in the construction contract.  These include:-

 

·       A requirement for the main contractor to appoint a nominated Community Liaison Officer who will work with the Project Sponsor and Hub Forum to deal with any community concerns issues

·       A requirement for the main contractor to register on the Considerate Constructors Scheme

·       A requirement to provide apprenticeships and employment opportunities in line with the labour value of the contract

·       A requirement to liaise with Belfast City, DEL and/or any organisations identified by Council to agree an approach for the promotion of employment, student, placement and apprenticeship opportunities provided through the contract which will be advertised in local Job Centres

·       A requirement to work with Belfast City Council’s Economic Development Department to participate in two supplier information days. These events are likely to include a presentation on upcoming opportunities and one to one engagement with attendees and will be specifically targeted towards small businesses and social enterprises

·       A requirement to meet the Fair Payments commitments set out in the ‘Fair Payment’ Charter

 

3.0    Current Status – Planning

 

3.1    Members will be aware that Belfast City Council lodged two planning applications in January for the development of the Hub.  A full planning application Z/2013/0048/F was submitted with regard to the building itself, i.e. the designs for the building.  An outline planning application Z/2013/0049/O was been submitted in respect of the infrastructure to be provided on site, i.e. road layout, and access proposals all of course dependent on the location of buildings on the wider Girdwood site hence the submission of an outline planning application. Approval has not as yet been given for either of these applications however Council are working closely with the Planning Service to ensure approval is given prior to appointment of a contractor.

 

3.2    A number of objections have been raised by residents living in the Brucevale area, and submitted to Planning Service, in relation to the proposed new entrance to the site from Duncairn Avenue.  Following concerns raised through the Hub Forum the Director of Property and Projects facilitated a public meeting in City Hall on 19 September to afford residents the opportunity to discuss their concerns.  An invitation was extended to Roads Service to attend that meeting however, they declined to send a representative. Representatives of Albert Fry Associates (Council’s traffic consultant) provided an overview of the steps which have been taken to satisfy Roads Service in terms of the traffic impact of the Girdwood development for the next 15 years.

 

3.3    There will be four entrances to the Girdwood site – the Antrim Road entrance via Kinnard Street which will be extended into the Hub and Duncairn Avenue where a new entrance to the site will be created just before Brucevale Park.  The other two entrances are at Clifton Park Avenue.  Construction traffic will use the current site access from Cliftonpark Park Avenue which will be closed post completion.

 

3.4    It should be noted that these new roads are not through roads and will be controlled by bollards to allow emergency vehicles only through the site.  The principle of four entrance and exit points is to dilute traffic impact on roads into the site and in the surrounding area.

 

4.0    Communications

 

4.1    Members are asked to note that a press release will be issued following the SP&R Committee meeting highlighting that the Council has received a formal letter of offer for the project from SEUPB.  A wider launch event will be held once the letter of offer is signed off and planning permission is in place. Members will be kept up to date of the arrangements regarding this and the Council is working closely with the DSD and its other partners on progressing communication and engagement activity. 

 

5.0    Girdwood Hub – Proposed Governance Structures

 

5.1    The Girdwood Hub is a key project under the Council’s Investment Programme.  An agreed governance structure is attached at Appendix 5.

 

5.2    Members will recall that it has been agreed that the decision making authority will follow the Council’s Scheme of Delegation with strategic directions and decisions being made by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee as the Council’s Investment decision maker.  Given the strategic importance of this project, it has been agreed that the Girdwood Project Board comprises Senior Officers from the Council, DSD, BMC as the strategic partner, two community representatives, SEUPB as the funding body, a representative from DSD European Division, and a representative from CPD (Central Procurement Directorate) as advisers to SEUPB.

 

5.3    Members will be aware that a Hub Forum, made up of community and statutory partners, was established in May 2011.  This Forum has been the key mechanism for ensuring that stakeholders remain committed to the project and is the key discussion arena for all issues relating to the Hub project.  This Forum, which is made up now of over 24 groups, meets on a monthly basis.  The Hub Forum are responsible for overseeing the stakeholder engagement around the Hub and developing the Shared Space Action Plan which is the unique aspect of the Hub proposal and central to delivering the peace and reconciliation outcomes.  A Community Engagement Sub-Group consisted of a number of Hub Forum members is currently reviewing and refreshing the community engagement strategy for the development of Girdwood Hub in order to maintain community support for the project.

 

5.4    At officer levels decisions will be made through the authority delegated to CMT and the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) the Director of Property and Projects.  The Senior User for the project is currently the Director of Parks and Leisure.  A Project Delivery Team has also been established with a number of workstreams under this include Capital Works/Design Team and a management and Maintenance Coordination Team to ensure the successful completion of the Hub Project.

 

6.0    Resource Implications

 

         Human

 

         Officers from Property and Projects will work closely with SEUPB, DSD and the Hub Forum to ensure successful delivery of the Girdwood Hub.

 

         Finance

 

         All expenses for construction of the Hub as detailed in the Letter of Offer are eligible for recoupment from SEUPB in line with the terms set out. 

 

         Assets

 

         Property and Projects Department, in liaison with other departments, will oversee the land acquisition issues and construction programme and seek the appropriate approvals from Committee in due course.

 

7.0    Equality Implications

 

         The Committee previously approved the Equality Strategy for the Girdwood Hub which outlines how the Council will fulfil its equality obligations during the development of the Hub and the Hub’s likely impact and outcomes in terms of equality and good relations.

 

8.0    Recommendations

 

         Committee is asked to note the contents of this report and –

-        agree that Council Officers work with SEUPB in order to progress acceptance of the Letter of Offer to approving the Girdwood Hub project  to a total value of £9,597,249 under Priority 2 Contributing to a Shared Society, Theme 1 Creating Public Shared Space to Belfast City Council as Lead Partner

-        note the current status of the design and tender documentation

-        note the current status of planning

-        note that a press release will be issued conforming the funding of the project and that arrangements are underway for a formal launch once the letter of offer is signed off and planning permission is in place

-        agree the proposed Governance Structure for the Girdwood Hub Project”

 

            The Director of property and Projects also noted the changing circumstances in that the Girdwood application had been made well ahead of the current Leisure Transformation Programme, the Local Government Reform meant the Council was now more likely to take the whole Girdwood site from the Department for Social Development and the Committee had also agreed to make a Peace IV application when opened for the North Belfast Gateway.  Taking those issues into account, with the ongoing work on the University of Ulster, Crumlin Road Gaol and the courthouse study, further reflection might be needed on the broader regeneration approach in this key part of the city.  The Director undertook to raise this in the first instance with the North Area Working Group.

 

            After discussion, the Committee noted the comments of the Director and adopted the recommendations.