Impact Square Appraisal

Appraisal v3

Prepared by Tony Carroll September 2009

Introduction .................................................................................................... 2 The Scheme ..................................................................................................... 2 The Project Team ........................................................................................... 4 Finance............................................................................................................. 4 Action Plan ...................................................................................................... 5 Programme...................................................................................................... 5

Introduction With Hunshelf Ltd Tony Carroll was the prime motivator and promoter for the regeneration of the St Vincent's area of Sheffield recognising the potential of the area in mid 2002, drawing on his previous experience and success with early projects in Devonshire Green in the late 1990's. Since then he has been responsible for two significant schemes, Impact and Castle Works, which following long negotiations with other land owners, residents and the city council resulted in the St Vincent's Plan and the market confidence for other developers to take an interest in the area. In 2004 he devised a plan named Impact Square to transform an open area into a new public square that will transform the St Vincent's area and provide a focus for the community. The plan includes a multi level soft and hard landscaped sections with commercial units aimed at small traders. Beneath Impact Square a 250 space car park is planned that will alleviate the chronic parking problems that the locality encounters. A talented and experienced project team has been formed alongside Tony and a comprehensive and viable scheme has been designed and refined through many discussions and negotiations. Councillor Diane Leek has been closely involved with consultations and has kindly facilitated and encouraged connections with residents and the wider council. Matt Hayman (Planning) became involved and has been equally helpful in securing negotiations with officers. Simon Ogden (Planning) has been generous in his support for the project since it was muted in 2004 as the completion of the Impact project. This has been presented to the key interested parties, including residents, councillors, planners and officers. To date, all have expressed a keen desire to implement the plan. SCC, Housing Services, the owner of the land, have also been met alongside councillors and the planning department and they have confirmed that they would be prepared to relinquish the land to facilitate the development of Impact Square. The right scheme is expected to create supplementary benefits by demonstrating to the developers of other sites that further capital investment will be rewarded by increasing the desirability and viability of the area and thereby encouraging the completion and commencement of their schemes.

The Scheme The earmarked site is comparable in size to the Peace Gardens adjacent to Sheffield Town Hall. As such it deserves a well thought out plan that responds not only to the community but to the dramatic topography and edge of city centre location. A compromised or rushed solution must be avoided because it is unlikely that the area will attract the type of ongoing publicly funded investment that a central site in the heart of the city would benefit from.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get it right. The principles for Impact Square as a public space have been generally accepted by all consulted residents, officers and councillors and what remains is to refine the commercial aspects and procurement method which in turn will affect the final mix and financial success. Considerations have been given to how Impact Square responds to its immediate and wider environment. Particular attention has been paid to how it integrates with the adjacent residential developments and the pedestrian links between the town centre and Supertram. The mix of informal hard and soft landscaping indicates that Impact Square is for occupying in a relaxed style. The removal of demarcation zones that might be seen in the heart of the city is designed to encourage all ages to take possession and ownership of the space, and ultimately that ownership will convey responsibility and a community cohesion. Removal of the existing enclosed ball court will result in a reduction in the formal recreation space. However, while there is a need for some form of hard surfaced recreation zone exists the present space is under-utilised and a target for anti-social behaviour. The new space will duplicate the ball play function in a single ended layout that is more suited to encouraging a wider variety of informal and ad-hoc games. The terracing creates an opportunity to insert pocket commercial units into the vertical sections. These are configured to be easily divisible to crate units with extensive display window frontages which can be rented to small and start up businesses on easy in and out terms. This principle is well trodden and an exemplar can be seen in the Devonshire Green area where the shopkeepers, cafe and bar owners made the area what they wanted rather than relying on landlords and masterplans. Following an approach to Seb Grieve, an internationally known local climber, there is in interest in an outdoor training wall facility. This provides a neat and maintenance free solution to the vertical transitions between the terrace levels. It will also encourage a destination purpose for evening and weekend visits from non residents, underpinning the community feel that is at the heart of the plan rather than relying on outmoded and unreliable outdoor cafe-bar ideas. Beneath all this there is the opportunity to create a car park that is almost totally underground in response to the sloping topography. Around 250 spaces are viable (subject to ground investigations) with an entrance from Upper Allen Street. This element of the project is an extraordinary opportunity to create a commercial underwriting to the project and alleviate reliance on public funds. Two car parking operators have expressed interest from initial enquiries at known values. An annual tenanted income in excess of £300,000 is anticipated.

The Project Team Already in place: Tony Carroll- Provesta Tony is an experienced developer and project manager. Since leaving architectural practice in 1996 he has been responsible for many development schemes in and around Sheffield including commercial, residential and institutional projects. He created the Impact and Castle Works developments which were the catalysts for the St Vincent's regeneration and has a track record of delivery within time and budgetary constraints. Tony has selected an initial project team that combine talent and experience of working on similar projects. Ian Drabble - Studio 1 Architects Ian is a founding partner of architects, Studio 1. The firm focuses on design flair that reflects the projects aspirations and the technical competence to deliver reliable construction information. They are the architects for both Impact and Castle Works schemes. Tan Khan - Capita Symonds Tan is a structural engineer and heads up the regional office of Capita Symonds. Their multidisciplinary capabilities extend from technical site investigations, structures to environmental issues. Capita acted as structural, geotechnical and civil engineers and quantity surveyors for Impact and Castle Works and have an in depth knowledge of the challenges arising from the site.

To join the team: Planning & Landscape Design departments - Sheffield City Council Archaeological investigations - ARCUS

Finance There are a variety of financial options depending on how the scheme is procured but it is anticipated that there will be a mix of public and private finance depending on the final mix of uses. Headline figures: It is understood that around £1.4m of Section 106 monies are in place from private development schemes in the area. The car park has an estimated value of around £3.7m The commercial space has an estimated value of around £1.7m

The Impact Square project can return an estimated capital receipt to SCC in excess of £1m while delivering a new public space at no cost to the public purse.

Action Plan The project team already formed and ready to be appointed to implement the programme:

Programme Plans are at an advanced stage and a planning application could be submitted within a matter of weeks. Once the team is in place the following programme will be targeted: Scheme design, Consultation, November 2009 Approvals, December - January 2009 Planning application, January 2009 - March 2010 Detail design and tender process March - June 2010 Site operations - July 2010 - March 2011 Ribbon cutting ceremony April 2011

Tony Carroll September 2009 [email protected]

07770 734186.