Proposals for
Hornsey Town Hall Complex
(summary of slides shown)
Presented
4th November 2004
Final Public Meeting
4th November 2004
1) Community Vision
• Not just a restoration project
• Whole site plan community vision plus endowment
• Independent professional management
• Access to grants
2) Hornsey Town Hall Trust Limited
• Approved as charitable company by the Charity Commissioners
• Approved as charitable by Inland Revenue
• Trustees
o Interim
o Long-term
3) Terms of transfer
• Government approved gift
• No open market auction
• Corporate co-venturers
4) Transfer to Trust
Haringey LBC – long lease of entire HTH site
Hornsey Town Hall Trust
• Sub leases of office and work space
• Sub lease for cinema
• Mixed use of public halls
• Sub leases for retail/restaurant
5) Trust’s Strategy
• Need for viable alternative to Donaldson’s
• The public must be convinced
• Councillors must be convinced
o Practical politics
o Presentation to Councillors
o Presentation to Executive
Presentation by
1) Our Vision - Tony Westbrook Surveyor, BSc FRICs DipProjMan
• “A destination in its own right, not just a building”
• “Have multiple choices of offers, not be a single purpose venue”
• Have an offer that encourages repeat visits – 20 visits a year not 4”
Quote by PY Gerbeau – leisure expert – 3rd November 2004
This is exactly our vision – this is the future for our Town Hall
• NOT just “keeping the public halls open for community use” as the Council propose
• We want a new, vibrant, busy and successful Town Hall, providing focus for the WHOLE community
• Multi-purpose - Cinemas, a theatre, a multi-functional hall, meeting rooms, catering, shops, play areas, work areas etc.
• To suit older people, young people, families, ethnic minorities – the whole community
2) Why is a professional team needed?
• Lack of information
• Donaldsons advice is compromised
o Advised Council of options of how to dispose of the site last year
o Recommended disposal via a long lease
o Trust solution was not preferred
o Would earn more fees from a disposal than a trust solution
• Council want a “viable future for the town hall complex”
• Trust must show it has the “skills, experience and resources” to carry through this project
3) Professional Team
Civic Regeneration Ltd - Robin Knowles, Chartered Surveyor (Borough Market, Moonshot Lewisham)
Building Cost Consultant - Gardiner and Theobald (Glynbourne, Tate Modern, Gherkin)
Theatre Designer - Nick Edwards - Acoustic Dimensions (RSC Stratford)
Theatre Equipment - Theatre Plan (RFH, QE Hall, Royal Academy of Music)
Catering Consultant - Winton Nightingale (V&A, Arts Depot)
Landscape Design - John Van Hage (Fiskar Sword & Gold medal winner at Chelsea)
Fountain Design - Tim Hunkin (Secret Life of Machines)
Services Engineer - Max Fordham & Partners (RFH, RIBA HQ, Hackney Empire)
Structural Engineer - David Berle
Transport Study - Gifford & Partners
TOTAL FEES £15,000
4) Cinemas
• Strong demand in Crouch End
• Layout – 3 screens
• “Art House” Concept
• Demand from experienced operators
• Ancillary Bar/Restaurant
• Car Parking
5) Overview
• Creating a sustainable mix of uses
• The council’s brief for the site
• The trust’s outline vision
• Experienced professional team
Presentation by Anthony Charnley Architect, MA Dip Arch (Hons) Cantb RIBA, Director
1) Our Vision for the site -
A rich mix of uses….
2) The Council’s Brief for the site
• Development Brief - February 2004
o by Donaldsons
• Conservation Plan
o by Alan Baxter Associates (option studies by Hawkins Brown)
Now superseded by:-
• Supplementary Planning Guidance October 2004
• Revised Unitary Development Plan
Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) / Haringey’s revised development brief (Draft)
3) Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) / Haringey’s revised development brief (Draft)
THE SITE HAS BEEN REDUCED IN SIZE
Feb 04 3.99 Acres to Oct 04 3.19 Acres
4) The “Future Uses”, The Main Building,
LIVE-WORK UNITS NOW “NON-FAMILY ACCOMMODATION” (C3)
Barratt Homes - Friern Barnet Town Hall
5) The “Future Uses” - The Broadway Annexe
CUSTOMER SERVICES TO STAY PUT (NO RETAIL ENVISAGED)
• Offices on first floor (no residential - useful to police square at night)
6) The “Future Uses” of the Mews have been curtailed or redefined
The Mews
NO MENTION OF RETAIL USE
WORKSPACE OR LIVE-WORK ONLY - A WASTED OPPORTUNITY
7) Rear of Town Hall
CAR PARKING NOT LISTED AS A CORE USE & WOULD CREATE INCOME
(This is an existing use in the heart of a Conservation Area)
8) The “Future Uses”
• New Development on the rear car park
• 50% Affordable Residential
• 50% ‘Luxury’ housing?
9) Parking Standards have been redefined
• No standards for Public Halls (Transport Assessments)
• SPG makes no mention of Mayor of London’s guidance of 1 space per 5-10 seats for theatres & cinemas depending on accessibility by public transport.
• Crouch End has low - medium public transport accessibility
• Residential densities have been increased
CROUCH END HAS LOW TO MEDIUM PUBLIC TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY
10) Our Vision for the site – The Halls
• Assembly Halls - the problem:-
– Seated 1200 plus
– All agree on the need for regeneration
– Restore the audiences after 15 years
– Diversity the key
• The solution:
– Three core uses (plus Council Chamber)
• Main Hall (200-250 seats, 600 standing for ‘Proms”)
• Studio Hall (200 seats)
• Three screen Cinema (137, 72 and 50 seats)
• Mobile digital projection (for all areas)
11) Our Vision for the site
• Making full use of the full building
12) The Main Hall
• Successful multi purpose halls of similar size
LSO Jerwood Hall, Old Street Town Hall, High Wycombe
13) The Main Hall
• Multi purpose:
o Daytime uses
o Rehearsal & education:- Music, Dance & Drama
o Fairs, Conferences, Functions
o Rapid re-configuration
o Evening Uses
o Performances
o Acoustics
o Variable, good isolation
o Flexible
o Flat floor / raked seating
o Good Equipment
14) The Main Hall
15) The Studio Hall
• THE PROBLEM
• Main hall too tall for intimate drama
• Small hall has low headroom
• Wide variety of groups & schools require space
• Adjacent to kitchens - ideal for catered functions
• The SOLUTION
• Small excavation for increased forestage headroom
• Rapidly reconfigure to flat floor for functions
15) The Cinemas
16) Foyer/Bar Areas
17) Administration
• Fine circulation spaces. All daylit
• Panelled executive offices and Members Room
• Large number of various sized offices
• Council Chamber
• USES for offices:
• CAB & Council Customer Services
• Arts & education groups
• Voluntary bodies & small businesses
• Artists & craftspeople
• Offices in good condition, currently accommodating 250 people
• The building should not be left empty- will damage local economy
• Can be re-used with a minimum of work
• Council Chamber & lifts require refurbishment
18) Council Chamber
• ISSUES
• Remove asbestos wall fabric & restore seating
• OPPORTUNITIES
• Digital Projection
• Debates, registry office, committes
• Education
• Display of Art
19) The Site – Front
THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOTFALL
• Link the front to the back
• Create retail units in NE corner of the Main Square
• Arcade to link to Mews retail
• Pave the Main Square and reinvent the fountain
20) The Site – Rear
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACESSIBILITY
• Link the front to the back
• Provide 100 parking spaces for visitors, audiences & performers (3 hour max stay) in accordance with Mayor’s standards
• Office staff to park off site - reduces rush hour congestion
• Retain/add trees, Landscape, use for Sunday fairs
• New rear entrance to Library
All operators & users have stressed the importance of a reasonable level of parking
21) The Clinic
A FINE BUILDING, IN GOOD CONDITION
• Uses include:
• Art Gallery
• Soft Play
• Additional Workspace
22) Professional Team
• Architect/Lead Consultant
• Theatre / acoustic designer
• Theatre equipment
• Cinema operator
• Structural engineer
• Landscape designer
• Fountain specialist
• Quantity surveyor
• Business plan
• Valuer
• Services consultants
• Catering consultant
• Transport / environmental impact assessment
23) The Outcome
• Technically proven and flexible design
• Optimise the re-use of the buildings and the site
• Imaginative new elements, where required, to be integrated with the existing fabric
• Efficient & sustainable use of energy & resources
• Costings with authority
• Business plan backed with wide range of previous projects
• Proven transport planning
24) The Challenge
“The Trust has to be skilled and motivated enough to take a pro-active development role…...”
Donaldsons, Nov 2003
25) Town Centres and Sustainable Communities
The Government’s Vision
• “Creating places that people want to be in”
• “Putting people into the heart of new schemes”
• “Integrating with the town centre”
Keith Hill, Minister for planning, ODPM
2nd November 2004
www.hornseytownhall.org
25) Donations
• By Cash
• By cheque made payable to
• Hornsey Town Hall Trust Ltd
• By pledge
• By internet at www.hornseytownhall.org