Understanding the buildings and the facilities
WORKSHOP 1: SITE AUDIT
17 October
INTRODUCTION
Cllr Millican
THE PROCESS SO FAR
Lucy Taylor
WORKSHOP STRUCTURE
• The process so far
• The role of the Town Hall Team
• The challenges
• The task for today
• Introduction to the buildings
• Site audit
• Debrief session
• Next steps
TOWN HALL TEAM
Dan Hill
WHAT IS THE TOWN HALL TEAM?
• Brings together a range of interests to share views
• Determine principles for development
• Create capacity in each other
• Brings together experienced and new participants
• Ambassadors to reach out to all community
WHAT WILL WE DO WILL WE DO?
Three workshops this Autumn:
• Today: Understanding the buildings and facilities
• Sat 14th November: Learning from other places
• Wed 18th November: Setting the principles
Further consultation next year:
• Broader public consultation
• Working with developers / partners
WHO IS IN THE TEAM?
• Local residents
• Community group reps
• Leisure group reps
• Business reps
• Civic society reps
• Councillors
• Officers
Introductions.
VISION AND CHALLENGES
Marcus Wilshere
TOWN HALL COMPLEX
• Many of the buildings have heritage/ townscape quality
and are valued by the community.
• Earlier consultation has identified the Town Hall site as
the preferred location for the community functions.
• The buildings house important functions but their age
and condition demands a high level of ongoing
investment.
• Some buildings are underused, do not meet modern
standards and are energy inefficient.
DRAFT VISION
Acton Town Hall complex will become a vibrant
multi-use focal point for all local communities.
The regeneration will recognise the buildings’
contribution to the distinctive character of the
heart of Acton and stimulate the wider
regeneration of the town.
This process will provide a long-term role for the
site that can be sustained without continued
subsidies.
THE CHALLENGES ARE…
1. to identify, retain and enhance buildings or features that are important to the character and distinctiveness of Acton;
2. to provide convenient community facilities to modern standards, accessible to a wider range of users and set in a safer, more attractiveand vibrant environment;
3. to co-locate compatible activities to increase the number of users and benefit from operational savings (e.g. heating, management);
4. to introduce new uses that will help to cross-subsidise the reprovision of community facilities and create a more mixed place;
5. to identify how commercially viable regeneration can be delivered;
6. to secure a long term future for these buildings and the social benefits they provide; and
7. doing nothing is not an option!
THE CHALLENGES ARE…
Heritage
Value
Meeting community needs
Delivering regeneration
DELIVERY
• High quality regeneration that meets the needs of the community cannot be paid for solely by the private sector
• Ealing council is committed to contributing to the cost of regeneration.
• The council aims to work in partnership with community and private sector developers in the delivery of this flagship project.
WHAT WILL BE THE OUTCOME?
Guiding principles for development
• Promote design quality
• Include your thoughts
• Balance with flexibility
• Enable innovation
WHAT COULD IT INCLUDE?
How the facilities should be arranged/re-arranged within the existing buildings/sites bearing in mind constraints like the listed buildings and service requirements?
Where the key entrances to the buildings, key linkages between the buildings and facilities should be?
What other uses could be accommodated on the site, where and how much?
WHAT COULD IT INCLUDE?
What type and amount of open space should be provided on this group of sites?
What’s the suitable approach for the non-listed buildings, e.g. Baths, Kings Rooms and Priory Centre?
What order should the sites be developed in and how important is service continuity?
TODAY’S TAS’S TASK
Anna Sokolowska
TODAY’S TAS’S TASK
1. Introduction to the buildings by Martin
2. Site audit and expert talks
• Town Hall and Extension (Francis/Gavin)
• Library and the backs (Heather Farrar)
• The Baths (TBC)
• Priory Centre (Joe Anastasio)
3. You will be asked to assess the buildings as you walk
around, using a questionaire.
4. Your findings will be discussed in a debrief session in
the Priory Centre and gathered in a report.
TODAY’S TAS’S TASK
Questionnaire (image)
TOWN HALL COMPLEX
Martin O’Rourke
1882- 1896 1898-1899 1903 1909 1926 1939 FUTURE
HERITAGE
The Priory School
Acton Public Library (Grade II Listed)
Acton Swimming Baths (Chimney- Grade II Listed)
Acton Town Hall (Grade II Listed)
King’s Rooms
Town Hall Extension (Grade II Listed)
1882-1896 1898-1899 1903 1909 1926 1939 FUTURE
THE PRIORY SCHOOL
Built in two campaigns; the extension
distorted the nearly symmetrical plan.
Is the building listable?
Large range of options.
If converted to residential, the main Hall
could become an inner courtyard.
1882-1896 1898-1899 1903 1909 1926 1939 FUTURE
ACTON LIBRARY (Grade II)
The quality of the building lies in its exceptional sculptural frontage.
First floor elevation towards Winchester Street is removable, new openings would be permissible.
An aditional storey could be added over the south part of the building.
The library could be converted to other use, possibly retail or restaurant, on the condition of removal of later additions. Resi/office at upper storeys
1882-1896 1898-1899 1903 1909 1926 1939 FUTURE
ACTON SWIMMING BATHS (part Grade II listed)
The Baths no longer fulfill the requirements for a modern pool/leisure facilities.
If an outstanding scheme was proposed:
-the chimney could be reconstructed in another location, and
-the reprovision of the Baths could be given consideration
-any development would have to respect the height of the cupola of Town Hall and
the tower of Town Hall Extension.
1882-1896 1898-1899 1903 1909 1926 1939 FUTURE
ACTON TOWN HALL (Grade II)
Should the building continue its public use?
Difficulty of conversion to high quality office space, creative buisnesses might prove more suitable.
Possibility of conversion to residential or a hotel (what about demand?), if the necessary subdivisions would be sympathetic to the building.
The north-east wing could be removed if the proposed redevelopment of the site would benefit from this action.
The Council Chamber could become a lecture room, conference centre or a meeting room.
1882-1896 1898-1899 1903 1909 1926 1939 FUTURE
THE KING’S ROOMS
If an outstanding scheme is developed, the King’s Rooms could be removed.
A new building could be of a greater height.
The decorative entrance should be retained in the proposed development.
1882-1896 1898-1899 1903 1909 1926 1939 FUTURE
TOWN HALL EXTENSION (Grade II)
The Assembly Hall could be converted to community use, conference suite or performance space.
Could the ground floor be reused for retail?
Could the corner be opened up provided that the openings respect the proportion of the façade?
Some railings could be remodelled or removed.
There is a potential for a setback storey.
SPARE SLIDES
CASE STUDIES: Shoreditch Town Hall
• C19th town hall in derelict condition -‘buildings at risk’ 1996
• LB Hackney created trust charged with repair and reuse for social/cultural/ business use
• Town hall is now a flourishing public/private resource
• Has 99 yr lease
• Significant community input
• Leveraged in LA and lots of grant funding
CASE STUDIES: 16 Hoxton Square
• Grade 2 listed former RC school
• Transferred to development trust
• Run by social entrepreneur (Building Better Health)
• Offers personal development/vocational skills
• ‘Hoxton Apprentice’ restaurant
• Business incubator units
• Gym
• Training/meeting rooms
CASE STUDIES: Old Poplar Library
• Build 1904, closed in 1990 and placed at Building At Risk Register
• Grade II listed
• Converted to office and live work units, mainly through EU funding
• All units sold/rented
• Managed by social enterprise - Leaside Regeneration
CASE STUDIES: Hornsey Town Hall
• Grade II* listed building of modernist style built in 1930s
• Run by ‘Creative Trust’
• Redeveloping as an art house cinema, bar/lounge and event and conference space
• £16m cost funded by £10m raised by housing and business space enabling development on adjacent sites plus fundraising
CASE STUDIES: Tottenham Town Hall
• Grade II building built in 1905
• Town hall redeveloped to incorporate community, retail and restaurant space
• Redeveloping as an art house cinema, bar/lounge and event and conference space
• Funded by 109 homes for RSL
• Under construction
CASE STUDIES: Battersea Town Hall
• Grade II* building built in 1893
• Town hall redeveloped to incorporate theatre and gallery space
• Battersea Arts Centre set up in 1980 with LA grant funding
CASE STUDIES: Finsbury Town Hall
• Opened in 1892 and includes large hall
• Taken over by Urdang Performing Arts Academy and refurbished
• Now available as an events venue on a commercial basis
CASE STUDIES: Claybury Hospital
• C19th Asylum for 2,500 patients based in own grounds
• Closed in 1980s with care in the community
• Grade II listed
• Mostly converted to housing (900 homes)
• Chapel converted to pool and gym
CASE STUDIES: Kings Mall
Kings Mall,cKings Street, Hammersmith by Richard Seifert ,1979.
Commercial development was allowed on condition that Frank Matcham's Lyric
Theatre of 1895 was faithfully rebuilt inside the new development.
It still functions as a successful theatre.
CASE STUDIES: Spitalfields Market
Large commercial development by Spitalfields Development Group included funding the Spitalfields Arts Trust to assist local creative industry, the Spitz -a cafe, music venue and subsidised art gallery in what had been the market porters club and cafe. Some market stalls are let at reduced rates to maintain a" rich mix ".
SDP also paid for extensive stone paving and granite sett road renewal as well as being a major sponsor of the Spitalfields Music Festival. The 15th century chapel discovered during the archaeological dig ( also paid for by SDG) was displayed and lit under a glass roof.This was possible because the commercial development was major and there was plenty of money.
CASE STUDIES: Other
• Chequer Street Shopping Development in St Albans ( circa late1980s) provided a new library - thecouncil sold the old library for office
use.
• Royal Opera House Covent Garden the recent renovation and improvement depended on financial return from shopping development facing the Piazza.
October 21, 2009
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