april 2016 feasibility study for the … · feasibility study for windmill hill city farm, bristol...

childs+sulzmannarchitects

WINDMILL HILL CITY FARM, BRISTOLAPRIL 2016 FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CAFE AT:

feasibility studyfor

WINDMILL HILL CITY FARM, BRISTOL

This document demonstrates our initial response to thebrief from the Windmill Hill City Farm to redevelop theexisting cafe in keeping with context and ethos of the CityFarm.Steve Sayers, Chief executive Windmill Hill City Farm

Date: April 2016Revision: A


www.candsp.co.uk

10th Floor Colston TowerColston Street Bristol BS1 4XETel: 0117 930 0010

[email protected]

1.0INTRODUCTION

BRIEF


The café at Windmill Hill City Farm is the social heartof the organisation. It is used by people attending theFarm (whether on courses, volunteering, gardening,taking children to and from the nursery or justvisiting) as well as being a destination in its own right.Small improvements have been made to the caféover the past few years, including the addition of asmall play area for toddlers, an extension to theexternal canopy, the inclusion of a 'proper' coffeemachine and provision of a 'dresser' selling produceinside. Alongside other improvements at the Farmthis has brought a marked increase in the volume oftrade (café sales in 2012-13 were £75k in 2014-15£105k).

The infrastructure of the café is showing signs of itsage. The kitchen is poorly arranged and too small onbusy days to cope with the demand. Our ambitionsto undertake more training of volunteers (particularlythose with support needs) or courses for adults arehampered by the inadequate facilities. Storage isinsufficient and poorly located, freezers are in a

different building, and there is no 'back office' forpaperwork, which mars the front-of-house area.

Our ambition is to redevelop the café to provide amore modern, efficient facility that increases ourcapacity to educate people about food, farming andthe environment (whether actively or passively) andto better serve our visitors with good food.

The brief for the accommodation is:

Indoor cafe seating - 40 coversExternal covered seating - 20 coversImproved kitchen including new appliancesImproved servery + display areaImproved back of house facilitiesFunction room - 40 peopleSecond open kitchen for demonstrations

1.0BRIEF - PRECEDENTS

BRIEF - PRECEDENTS


We understand that the City Farm are keen to buildon the existing ambiance of the cafe and enhance thefeel and offering for families. We understand that theCity Farm has identified some precedents locally thatinclude Bordeaux Quay, Riverford Farm Kitchen andthe Ethicurean.

We have included some images of these cafes as astarting point for the discussion of our architecturalapproach. We feel that there are many successfulelements that could be taken forward from theseprojects in the context of the Farm.

We feel that the City Farm already has a character andstyle that could be developed further especially tocreate a bright and vibrant cafe that continues to beat the heart of the place.

1.0SITE ANALYSIS

SITE ANALYSIS


We understand that the existing site comprises thebuildings set around the car park and farmyard thatinclude the following:

Reception, visitor centre and shopCafe + outside seating areaCraft + training and the John James RoomStaff buildingEducation barn + outdoor kitchenNurseryAnimal housing + green house

Beyond this are the community gardens andpaddocks to the south and west of the mainbuildings. To the north is the play area and allweather pitch. We also understand that a tenantoccupies a building to the immediate north of the carpark.

We have been given plans that show theredevelopment of the car park into a communitygarden. These changes reduce the parking on site todisabled spaces and a minibus drop-off. Theseproposals will also reconfigure the bin storage areaadjacent to the cafe.

As part of these proposals the City Farm aredeveloping the west entrance with the intention thatany visitor arriving by car will use the NCP car park.This means that the the path from the west will seegreater visitor numbers and may change the routes inand around the visitor centre.

CAR PARK

FARMYARD

CAFE

BINS

RECEPTION

P H I L I P S T R E E T

W H I T E H O U S E L A N E

ALL-WEATHERPITCH

PLAY AREA

NCPCAR PARK

MIDDLEPADDOCK

WOODLANDPADDOCK

TOPPADDOCK

COMMUNITYGARDENS

OUTDOORKITCHEN

NURSERY

NURSERYPLAY AREA

COMMUNITYGARDENS

STAFF

ANIMALHOUSING

POLYTUNNEL

CRAFT +TRAINING

ENTRANCE

ENTRANCE

1.0ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH

OPPORTUNITIES + CONSTRAINTS


From our initial site visit and discussions with theclient we have identified the following constraints:

Need to maintain a cafe function during theconstruction worksApproved scheme to convert the car park into agarden limits expansion to the northExisting buildings around cafe need to be retainedincluding visitor centre and staff buildingFarmyard is the focal point of the siteKitchen is small and equipment needs replacingLimited internal seating

Within the brief and the site there are severalopportunities we would like to explore further:

Look at how the new building can enhance thefarmyard with new south facing frontage and lotsof seatingPotential to create additional access from PhilipStreetReplacing the kitchen equipment with energyefficient equipment to reduce running costs goingforwardDesigning a temporary kiosk that can serve as acafe during the works but also be used in the future

We also believe that given the project budget andtimescale that the big opportunity is to retain theexisting cafe within the new proposals. We believethat there is ample opportunity to extend around thebuilding (identified in pink) and that the budget canbe stretched further by refurbishing the existing cafe.

NEW COMMUNITYGARDENS

COMMUNITYGARDENS

ALL-WEATHERPITCH

MIDDLEPADDOCK

WOODLANDPADDOCK

TOPPADDOCK

NURSERY

ANIMALHOUSING

CRAFT +TRAINING

FARMYARD

PARKING+ BINS

DELIVERYENTRANCE

PEDESTRIANENTRANCE

PEDESTRIANENTRANCE

CAFE

POTENTIALTO EXTEND


EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK


childs+sulzmann architects have extensiveknowledge and experience in similar projects. Wehave designed cafes, function spaces, restaurantsand commercial kitchens for the last 20 years. Weunderstand both the need for design but also how tomaximise a clients budget.

We have been working with Watershed for the last 10years and have completed the bar and cafe area,balcony and function rooms within a tight budget.We are currently working with Watershed to improvethe environmental performance of the buildingincluding the replacement of the existing kitchenequipment with energy efficient appliances.

The work at Engine Shed and Arnolfini reflect ourcreativity on a tight budget in and around sensitivebuildings and locations. At Arnolfini we constructedthe outdoor bar to serve the dockside seating and forminimal expense created an event space on the topfloor. The scheme at Engine Shed includes thebusiness lounge which hosts successful events andparties within the meeting pods and bleacher seatingwe designed.

We have also undertaken in the last 3 years more than40 pub refurbishments including replacementkitchens, restaurant areas and creating terraces andgardens.

We can bring all this knowledge together to enablethe City Farm to best utilise their existing space, andbudget to create a cafe at the heart of the site whichreflects the City Farms ethos.


PROPOSED CAFE


childs+sulzmann architects approach to designingthe cafe has 2 key design principles:

Retain existing building + refurbishExtend on ground level only to maximise budget

The plan shown here reflects these principles anddemonstrates a possible layout within the context ofthe site.

The existing building is retained and extended with anew roof to form additional seating with large slidingglass doors that open onto a covered terrace area.

The servery is expanded with more space around it toaccommodate customers. The kitchen is extendedwith the new stores and staff accommodation. Thefunction room is located at ground floor to save costson stairs and lifts which would be required if locatedat first floor.

The function room can have folding screens to enableevents to spill out into the cafe or the cafe use toextend into the function room if no events arescheduled.

This proposal has 72 sq. M of refurbished space and147 sq.m of new build accommodation. We wouldpropose that this is lightweight highly insulatedconstruction with large overhanging eaves to reducesolar gain but enable maximum glazing to open thebuilding up in summer.

FUNCTION ROOM( 40 COVERS )

FUNCTIONTERRACE

FUNCTIONENTRANCE

SECONDARY ENTRANCEFROM PHILIP STREET

SERVERY

DISPLAY AREA

OFFICES +STORES

KITCHEN

IN

OUT

DEMOKITCHEN

CAFE SEATING

CAFE SEATING

CAFE SEATING

COVERED TERRACE SEATING

COVERED TERRACE SEATING

CAFEENTRANCE

CAFEENTRANCE

DELIVERIES

2.0PROPOSAL

EXISTING GROUND FLOOR PLAN


SOFT PLAY

SHELTEREDENTRANCE

CAFE

KITCHENSTORE

STAFFGARDEN

STAFFROOM

GALLERY

WC

RECEPTION

ARTIST’SSHOP

STAFFKITCHEN

HALL

WC

SERV.FARMSHOP

FARM YARD

ANIMALPENS

BINS +RECYCLING

EXTERNALSEATING

CHICKENCOOPS

2.0PROPOSAL

PROPOSED GROUND FLOOR PLAN


SERVERY

KITCHEN

FOODSTORE

POTWASH

DEMO. KITCHEN

KITCH.STORE

FURN.STORE

ACC.WC

FUNCTIONROOM

(40 COVERS)

EXISTING CAFE(8 COVERS)

CAFE EXTENSION(32 COVERS)

FUNCTION ROOMTERRACE

STAFFCHANGE

FUNCTIONCOURTYARD

STAFFGARDEN

STAFFROOMEXTERNAL

SEATING

SOFT PLAY

SHELTEREDCOURTYARD

GALLERY

WC

BINS +RECYCLING

PROPOSEDENTRANCE

ARTIST’SSHOP

RECEPTION

RECONFIGUREDENTRANCE CANOPY

LOBBY

BIKESTORAGE

NEWDOOR

NEWDOOR

CAFE

OFF

ICE

ON

FIRS

T FL

OO

R

STAFFKITCHEN

HALL

WC

EXISTING MEMORIALTREE

PREP.AREA

CANOPYABOVE

CAFEENTRANCE

FARMYARD

SALADCOUNTER

FUNCTIONROOM ENTRANCE

MINIBUSPARKING

FARMSHOP

DELIVERY ACCESSTO KITCHEN

MAIN ENTRANCE TOCITY FARM

OFFICE

OFFICE

RECEPTIONDESK

GALLERY

EXTERNALSEATING

2.0PROPOSAL

DESIGN IDEAS


The proposed extension will unify the existing clusterof buildings by creating a seamless and shelteredroute from the reception and gallery through to theproposed cafe extension and new function room.

The extension will utilise the existing external walls ofthe cafe, a glazed structure will wrap around theexisting walls and tie into a proposed timber framethat will create an external sheltered seating area.

The sheltered linking area will allow customers toaccess the existing and proposed building regardlessof the weather conditions.

The images below are examples of simple, cohesivedesigns that have successfully used recycled andsustainable materials. The reuse of existing buildingmaterials at the farm, for example the external timberframe and roofing materials, will ensure that theproject remains within the proposed budget.

2.0PROPOSED FARM YARD


2.0PROPOSAL

CONNECTING SPACES + BUILDINGS


The proposed route through the reconfiguredentrance canopy and existing reception will lead to asheltered courtyard. The courtyard will provideaccess to the farmyard and the proposed extension tothe cafe.

The glazed extension will will wrap around theexisting south and west elevations of the cafe tocreate additional seating.

The function room will sit adjacent to the existingcafe. The existing openings in the external cafe wallswill be enlarged to create direct access into thefunction room. The function room can be used as anextension to cafe if overcrowded.

A timber frame will encompass the existing andproposed buildings. Temporary and permanentcanopies will be used to encourage year-round use.

A poly tunnel will sit on top of the timber frame toform the sheltered courtyard.

3.0PHASING

PHASING


Phasing of the potential construction works has beenconsidered as part of the overall project structure tosuit the business plan and funding requirements.

Whilst completing the job in one phase is preferablethe scheme design allows for elements to beconstructed in such a way that the project can becompleted in phases. The preferred phasing route iscurrently 2 phases as follows:

Phase 1

The refurbishment and extension of the existing cafebuilding to create the additional seating areas andthe service building. This would also include the newcanopy over the courtyard from the entrance andsome works to adjust the terrace overlooking thefarmyard. This first phase would create the additionalcovers for the cover, reconfigure and refurbish thekitchen and servery to better serve the customers,and provide the additional storage spaces andseparate pot wash enabling the space to work moreefficiently.

Phase 2

The second phase would involve the construction ofthe Function Room and demonstration kitchen alongwith the entrance, WC and external areas. Althoughthere may be some disruption due to noise etc. theconstruction site can be isolated form the rest of thefarm allowing day to day operations to continue. TheFunction Room can then be linked back to the cafearea at the end of the construction works.

REFURBISH CAFE

RECONFIGURE +REFURBISH KITCHEN

NEW SERVERY

CONSTRUCTEXTENSION FOR

POTWASH + STORE

CONSTRUCTCAFE EXTENSION

E

PHASE 1: cafe / kitchen refurbishment, construct cafeextension + canopy, construct extension for store + pot-wash

CONSTRUCTCANOPY

PHASE 2: construct function room + demonstration kitchen,Create function terrace

CONSTRUCTFUNCTION ROOM

+ DEMONSTRATIONKITCHEN

4.0COST PLAN

COST PLAN


A cost estimate has been prepared by Clive Witter ofMDA Consulting, Bristol with the followingcomments and exclusions:

Comments

This initial estimate is primarily based on in-housedata and knowledge of the sector.As there is a high level of services and fittingswithin a relatively small area, the rate/m2 is highWe have allowed for new finishes to all existingareas including Whiterock to kitchen areas .The existing external walls have either beenrepointed, dry lined or clad with timber boarding.The services allowance is based on standardinstallations ie excludes biomass, PV, CHP andassumes services in the existing areas can belargely retained but some replacement of existingplant may be requiredWe have allowed for either timber or ceramicflooring to the front of house areas.We have assumed that no work will be required toincoming services.We have included a contingency of 10%, whichwe would be reluctant to reduce until more clarityhas been achievedThe estimate has been updated to 4Q16.

Exclusions

FF&EWork to Staff Room and Corridor other than newdoors.Abnormal foundationsStructural enhancement to remaining structures.Repairs and upgrading of existing windows.Any works beyond the site boundary.Asbestos removalSpecialist testing ie structural checks, asbestosinvestigations etcVATProfessional fees

5.0PRE-APPLICATION ENQUIRY

PRE-APPLICATION ENQUIRY


Principle of Development

The proposals relate to the extension of an existinguse with the introduction of a larger café and functionfacility. The proposed development is relatively smallscale and relates to an existing use. Given the scale ofthe development there is not requirement for thedevelopment to be sequentially tested in terms of theuse being in an out of centre location.

Flood Risk

The site is located within Flood Zone 2 which meansthat it is at higher risk of flooding. Any applicationwould be required to be submitted with a Flood RiskAssessment. Provided the extensions have a footprintof less than 250 square metres, which they appear to,there is not requirement for the Flood Risk SequentialTest to be undertaken.

Design

The proposals look promising and of an appropriatescale. Given the context of the site there is areasonable amount of freedom in terms of the designand there is certainly scope to improve the site moregenerally. One of our Urban Designer Officersreviewed the call and made the comments belowwhich you may wish to consider when submittingyour application:

CDG are generally supportive of the principleto enhance the City Farm Complex.The design proposals appear broadlyappropriate (subject to a full assessment atfull application stage).Initial comments would highlight theunfortunate siting of the bin and recyclingstore. Is there a way to integrate this into thesite, away from the street boundary?Access to the function room may benefit frommore generous space. How will this access bemanaged? Is it intended to only provide staffand function pedestrian access?

Need to see a wider site plan showing vehicleaccess, and the relationship with theproposed community gardens.

Further to a bit more information and potential re-sitting of the refuse store the design and layout isgenerally supported.

Trees and Landscaping

The general direction of the proposals does notcompromise the existing site character. Matters ofdetail will need to be resolved, and there is someinaccuracies revealed in the accompanying planswith regard to the location of existing mature trees,which all lie within the site and should be protectedand retained within the new layout.The Arboricultural Officer has reviewed theapplication and recommends that a full planningapplication should be accompanied by anArboricultural report including:

Survey of trees on site within influencingdistance of the proposal.Trees to be retained or removed.Protective fencing for retained treesBTRS calculations for trees due to be removed.A landscape plan for tree replacement on sitein line with BTRS calculations

Impact on Neighbouring Properties

The surrounding uses are not generally residential sothere are limited concerns in respect of residentialamenity. Further information should be provided inrespect of any additional plant and extractequipment required to ensure this is acceptable bothvisually and in terms of amenity.

Transport, Parking, Cycle parking and refuse

The Transport Development Management Team haveassessed the proposals and found them to beacceptable in principle. Their full comments havebeen attached for information. Additional

information has been requested and would need toform part of any future planning application.

Climate Change and Sustainability

The development will have to comply with policiesBCS13-BCS16 of the Core Strategy. The applicationwill require a sustainability statement. Guidance onpreparing the sustainability statement can be foundin the Climate Change and Sustainability Practiceguide on the Council website. An Energy Strategy willneed to be provided. Evidence would need to beprovided to demonstrate that the 20% carbonreduction could be achieved through renewablemeans. Please also ensure that any future applicationconsiders the drainage of the site and the use of SUDs.

CIL/Contributions

As the new floor space is over 100 square metres thedevelopment would be liable for CIL. However, if youcan demonstrate that the works are to be completedby a charity, which I think is the case, them thedevelopment would be exempt from CIL.

Conclusion

Subject to the submission of additional informationand clarification the propsoals appear to beacceptable. The views given are current at the time ofgiving the advice, but changes in the planningcircumstances can change, and will need to be takeninto account when any subsequent application isdetermined. Please note that the above advicerepresents an informal opinion of an officer of thecouncil who has no power to bind the council by theviews expressed.

Heather Faulkner

Senior Planning OfficerDevelopment Management

Childs+Sulzmann Architectssubmitted a pre-applicationenquiry to Bristol City Council inJanuary 2016, reference number:16/00869/PREAPP.

A subsequent meeting with theplanning officer, HeatherFaulkner, took place at WindmillHill City Farm on the 18 April 2016and the formal response wasissued by the council on 28 April2016.

The review of the proposals isgenerally positive and the councilhave recommended that aplanning application would bewell received subject to someminor issues being addressed. Thefull response is as follows:

april 2016 feasibility study for the … · feasibility study for windmill hill city farm, bristol...

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