Britannia Development Proposal
Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
The Council has commissioned a feasibility study to look at a range of options for the
Britannia Leisure Centre site. We want to find out if it would be possible to provide
new leisure facilities to replace the out-dated leisure centre, build a new secondary
school, and some housing to pay for these community facilities.
Despite investing around £0.5 billion in our school buildings over the last decade, by
2021 we need to create another 1,260 primary and 1,650 secondary school places
with additional sixth form places of around 700. We are working with the City of
London Corporation to develop two new secondary schools, which would provide the
high quality places we need.
Britannia’s age and the level of investment required to bring it up to standard means
that it is no longer cost effective to operate and it no longer meets the needs of users
and the wider community.
The Council doesn’t have the funding to provide a school and new leisure facilities
and, therefore, to help meet the demand for more school places and re-provide the
leisure facility, it is considering building housing on the site, which would be sold to
fund the wider scheme. As the City of London has submitted an application to the
Department for Education to run the new secondary school on the site, it is also
anticipated that the Council will be able to raise further funding from the Education
Funding Agency towards the cost of building the secondary school.
The feasibility study will also look at whether it is beneficial to bring Whitmore
Primary School in as part of the site. If it is brought into the scheme, Whitmore
Primary School will be re-provided somewhere else on the site, but at this stage this
is only one option being considered.
Below are some questions relating to the Britannia scheme. These will be updated
as more information becomes available.
Feasibility
What is a feasibility study?
A feasibility study determines whether a proposal is deliverable both in practical and
financial terms.
The feasibility study we have commissioned looks at whether it would be possible –
or feasible – to go ahead with various options to make better use of the Britannia
Leisure site, with or without the Whitmore Primary School site. It will take into
consideration things like cost, whether it is physically possible to develop the land,
how long building work would take, and to what extent various options would deliver
the results we require.
Document Number: 16925250
Document Name: 2016/04/11FAQsBrit
Why are you conducting a feasibility study?
We want to make sure that any plans we present to residents as part of a
consultation are real possibilities that could work if we decided to go ahead with
them. We don’t want to share ideas which are not possible and could not realistically
be carried out.
Who is carrying out the feasibility study?
The feasibility study is being carried out by the Local Education Partnership (LEP).
The LEP is a joint venture between the Council and the private sector
(MouchelBabcock) which has successfully delivered our Building Schools for the
Future (BSF) programme over the last eight years. The BSF programme has rebuilt
six secondary schools and three special schools in the borough.
When will you share the outcome of the feasibility study?
We expect the study to be completed around July 2016. The Council will need to
carefully consider the results, options, viability and proposals and, depending on the
outcome, decide on the feasible options (this could take a few months as it may be
necessary to refer some questions back to the author of the feasibility study).
We will share the results and undertake a public consultation on the feasible options
with key stakeholder groups, including Whitmore Primary School, users of Britannia
Leisure Centre and local residents, after the summer holidays.
What will be consulted on?
We expect the study to be completed around July 2016. The Council will need to
carefully consider the results, options, viability and proposals and, depending on the
outcome, decide on the feasible options (this could take a few months as it may be
necessary to refer some questions back to the author of the Feasibility Study).
Although it is not anticipated that the feasibility study itself will be publically released,
we will share the results of this work and consult on the feasible options with key
stakeholder groups, including Whitmore Primary School, users of Britannia Leisure
Centre and local residents after the summer holidays. This will be a public
consultation, which anyone will be able to take part in, but we will hold special dropin sessions at Whitmore School and Britannia Leisure Centre, so that those most
affected by the plans can find out more and speak to representatives from the
Council.
Project timeline
Please note that the project timeline is subject to change and dates relating to some
aspects of the scheme will not be known until the feasibility study is complete.
March 2016
The City of London Corporation submitted an application to the
Department for Education to set up two new schools in Hackney
March 2016
Feasibility study launched
July 2016
Feasibility report due
Autumn 2016
Consultation launched
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Autumn 2016
Drop-in sessions at Whitmore, Britannia, Colville Estates
Later 2016
Decision reached on the scheme to be taken forward
To be determined
Planning application submitted
September 2017
Secondary school opens at temporary site (subject to planning)
September 2019
Secondary school opens at Britannia site (subject to planning and
results of the feasibility)
Whitmore School
What are your plans for Whitmore School?
At the moment there are no plans and nothing has been decided. We are currently
considering how to best use Council-owned land to meet the demand for school
places. One of the places we are looking at is the area around Britannia Leisure
Centre. Whilst we are considering a range of options, closing down Whitmore School
is absolutely not one of them.
We must consider the whole site around Britannia in our feasibility study. Plans are
at a very early stage, however, Whitmore Primary School will either remain in its
current premises or move to a new purpose built primary school building on the site.
If this were to go ahead, it is anticipated that a new building would be completed
before any work to the existing building gets underway, so there would be no need
for Whitmore School to move into temporary accommodation.
If Whitmore is included in the development, what commitment will you give to
protecting the amount of outdoor space the school has?
If Whitmore School is included, we would ensure that it had enough outside
playground space for its pupils to enjoy at break times. We would base the area for
this on the Department for Education’s guidance, which can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mainstream-schools-area-guidelines, as
discussed and agreed with the school.
How would the school be affected during any building work?
If the school is included in the final proposals, the project team and Hackney
Learning Trust would work with the school to minimise disruption. This could include
carrying out noisy work at weekends and during the school holidays. Similarly, if the
school is not included in the final proposals, we would minimise disruption caused by
nearby building works, and ensure noisy work was carried out at weekends and
during the school holidays.
Will Whitmore pupils still be able to use Britannia Leisure Centre?
Yes, this would not change.
Will pupils have to be taught in temporary accommodation?
It is not anticipated that Whitmore Primary School pupils will need to be taught in
temporary accommodation. The instruction for the feasibility study specified that, if
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included in the final proposals, the school must remain in operation during
construction and disruption must be avoided. The secondary school will open in
temporary accommodation in a different location and it is anticipated that it will
remain there for two to three years while the new Britannia site is developed.
Could staff lose their jobs?
There is no reason why any members of staff should lose their job if Whitmore
School is included in the final proposal.
How will you minimise disruption, particularly for children with special educational
needs?
The Council has considerable experience in this area. During the Building Schools
for the Future programme, we rebuilt all of our secondary and special schools and
there was no negative impact on outcomes for pupils. The project team and Hackney
Learning Trust will work closely with the school to minimise disruption and offer
support where needed. This will include ensuring specialist support for SEN children
is safeguarded.
How can parents have their say?
We held a drop-in session to answer parents’ questions at Whitmore School on 19
April, We will also share the results of the feasibility work and consult on the feasible
options with key stakeholder groups, including Whitmore Primary School, users of
Britannia Leisure Centre and local residents after the summer holidays. This will be a
public consultation, which anyone will be able to take part in, but we will hold special
drop-in sessions at Whitmore School and Britannia Leisure Centre, so that those
most affected by the plans can find out more and speak to representatives from the
Council.
The Secondary School
What sort of school will the new secondary school be?
The City of London has submitted an application to the Department of Education –
with Hackney’s support – to provide two new, non-denominational secondary
schools in Hackney. If the proposals go ahead, one will be in Hackney Downs and
the other, the City of London Academy Shoreditch Park, will be built at the Britannia
site. Both will have six classes in each year group, taking 180 students in their first
year and eventually offering 900 new school places plus sixth form.
Who will run the new secondary school?
The City of London Corporation will be the sponsor of the new schools. The City of
London already sponsor the successful City Academy Hackney, so the Council has
an existing, good relationship with them.
When will the new secondary school open?
Subject to feasibility work and planning permission, it is proposed that the school
would open on a temporary site, in Audrey Street, Haggerston, in September 2017
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while building work takes place at the Britannia site. The permanent site would open
in September 2019 at the earliest.
Why don’t you just give the site to a free school?
By retaining the site, which is Council-owned, we can ensure we build to the
standard our schools have come to expect. Hackney has an excellent track record in
building world-class schools through its Building Schools for the Future programme,
and this school will be the same high quality. By working with the City of London we
can also ensure high quality education provision.
Britannia Leisure Centre
Will the leisure centre be knocked down?
Possibly, yes, although this will depend on the outcome of the feasibility study. The
age of Britannia Leisure Centre and the level of investment required to bring it up to
current standards means that it is no longer cost effective to operate or to continue to
meet the needs of users and the wider community
Why do facilities need updating?
Britannia Leisure Centre’s age and the level of investment required to bring it up to
standard means that it is no longer cost effective to operate or to continue to meet
the needs of users and the wider community. However, ensuring that there is a
modern, up-to-date centre in this area is a priority for the Council.
It is not our intention to reduce the type or quality of facilities – in fact, we want to
improve them and ensure that residents have access to a centre that meets
expectations and demands.
What will the replacement facilities be like?
The feasibility study will consider the following as a minimum: a 25m main swimming
pool, a new learner pool, a fun pool (targeted at 0-5 year olds), a children’s soft play
area, two squash courts, a 140 station fitness suite, a spinning studio, two exercise
studios, a sports hall, five-a-side pitches and a café and toilets (which will also serve
park users).
Will the existing leisure centre be closed before the new facilities are open?
The feasibility study will focus on options that would not include closing the leisure
centre before the new facilities are open.
What’s wrong with the existing facilities?
Britannia Leisure Centre was built in two phases in the 1970s and 80s, with the dry
side built first followed by the pool. This has resulted in multiple plant rooms and an
inefficient building layout that is, unfortunately, not cost effective to operate. The
mechanical and electrical systems need replacing and there are leaks from the
health suite, into the pool circulation area and from the swimming pool tanks into the
surrounding ground.
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The design and layout of the existing building also means that the facilities do not
fully comply with current design guidance from Sport England and national governing
bodies of sports’ standards – particularly with regard to the swimming pools (the
main swimming pool is what is known in the industry as a ‘free form leisure pool’
which is not conducive to swimming lessons, health and fitness swimming or
swimming galas in a way that a rectangular ‘tank’ would be).
What will be the impact of the scheme on access to the leisure facilities?
There are no plans to change the accessibility of the leisure centre to any current
user including Whitmore Primary School.
How can leisure centre users have their say?
We will share the results of the feasibility work and consult on the feasible options
with key stakeholder groups, including Whitmore Primary School, users of Britannia
Leisure Centre and local residents after the summer holidays. This will be a public
consultation, which anyone will be able to take part in, but we will hold special dropin sessions at Whitmore School and Britannia Leisure Centre, so that those most
affected by the plans can find out more and speak to representatives from the
Council.
Could GLL staff lose their jobs?
There is no reason why any members of GLL staff should lose their jobs. The
feasibility study will focus on options that would not include closing the leisure centre
before the new facilities are open.
Housing
What sort of housing will you be building?
This will be decided when we have seen the outcome of the feasibility study,
however it is likely to be private housing, to fund the cost of building a school and the
new leisure facilitates.
Why is the Council building private housing?
Over the last decade, Hackney has benefited from one of the biggest and most
ambitious schools building and regeneration programmes in the country. It has seen
us invest nearly £0.5 billion in creating new primary schools and academies, as well
as the refurbishment and rebuild of all our secondary schools.
However, like most London boroughs, Hackney is feeling the impact of an increasing
population on our schools. By 2021, we need to create 1,260 primary places and
1,650 secondary school places.
Funding is extremely limited, and we currently have a funding gap of about £40m. By
acting as the developer, the Council will be able to ensure that the maximum amount
of money is available for the Council to deliver the new school and leisure facilities; it
will eliminate the need for a private developer to factor in profits for itself and any
shareholders
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Will any money raised help to pay for social housing elsewhere?
If it is estimated that there will be money left over after building the new secondary
school and the leisure centre then this may be possible. However, we think this is
unlikely.
Impact on surrounding homes/estates
With more housing being built, will local facilities become overcrowded?
Any scheme that goes ahead will need to consider the impact on the local area. This
is an important part of planning applications, which include a section called the
‘environmental impact assessment’. This will take into account the effects of the
development on all aspects of the local environment including the impact of the
development as it is constructed and its impact once completed and functioning. It
also looks at the development’s use of natural resources, the potential emission of
pollutants, and the elimination of waste. Further information can be found at
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1824/schedule/4/made
What will you do to prevent building noise from affecting local people?
Again, this is an important part of any planning application and the Planning
Committee will expect applicants to demonstrate that residents will not be negatively
impacted, whether during construction or once the new development is operational.
Further details on how noise issues are assessed as part of the planning process are
available at http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/noise/noiseguidance/
Will there be an impact on parking and traffic?
Any planning applications will need to include an environmental impact assessment
and a transport assessment, which will take into account these issues. This will also
be considered in the feasibility study.
What health and safety measures will be put in place to minimise the risk to the local
community including pupils at Whitmore Primary School and users of the Britannia
Leisure Centre?
The Council has considerable experience in this area. For example when we built
the new secondary and special schools including managing health and safety risks
of a large construction programme. The constructor will be required to be part of the
Considerate Contractor’s Scheme which requires them to consult with and respect
the local community. An essential part of this scheme is to ensure the contractor puts
the health and safety of the local population impacted by the project high on its list of
priorities. Details of what it covers can be found at
https://www.ccscheme.org.uk/index.php/ccs-ltd/what-is-the-ccs/code-of-consideratepractice. Health and safety issues are also covered by extensive legislation,
including the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, details of
which can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/2015/index.htm
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How does Crossrail 2 fit into all of this?
The Council has responded to the Crossrail 2 consultation, strongly defending the
park and leisure centre site against plans from Crossrail 2, which proposed to use
the land for a worksite and permanent vent shaft. We have suggested the only
suitable sites identified by Crossrail 2 are on Eagle Wharf Road. We are having
regular meetings with Crossrail and we should have an update on this soon.
How can local residents have their say?
We will share the results of the feasibility work and consult on the feasible options
with key stakeholder groups, including Whitmore Primary School, users of Britannia
Leisure Centre and local residents after the summer holidays. This will be a public
consultation, which anyone will be able to take part in, but we will hold special dropin sessions at Whitmore School and Britannia Leisure Centre, so that those most
affected by the plans can find out more and speak to representatives from the
Council.
Impact on Shoreditch Park
Is any area of Shoreditch Park included in the feasibility study for the new
development?
The only area of the park that is included in the site the feasibility study will assess is
the ball courts / tennis courts adjacent to Pitfield Street which currently form part of
Britannia Leisure Centre’s facilities.
Will any improvements for Shoreditch Park be included in the feasibility study?
The feasibility study will look at options that deliver a café and toilets that serves both
the leisure centre and park users.
Will the new secondary school be using Shoreditch Park to deliver lessons and after
school activities?
This may be the case. If it is the feasibility study will look at the impact on the park,
particularly its grass areas, and what improvements would need to made to address
this.
Document Number: 16925250
Document Name: 2016/04/11FAQsBrit