Committee:- Outer East Area Committee
Date: 23 October 2003
Subject: Byker Estate – Proposed Design Competition for
South Byker and St Lawrence Square
Report by: Area Director (EE&C)
Ward Byker
Implications:
FOR DECISION
1. Synopsis
1.1 This report sets out the first stages in how the Council plans to hold an
architectural design competition to generate innovative solutions for the
regeneration of South Byker and St Lawrence Square.
1.2 The Area Committee is being asked to fund the first phase consultation and
development costs associated with the design competition.
2. Decision Recommended
2.1 The Outer East Area Committee is asked to agree to allocate £9000 from its
2003/04 Operational Budget to finance the first stage of the Byker Design
Competition.
3. Background
3.1 The 1998 Housing Committee decision to implement proposed selective
demolition in the Southern part of Byker Estate at Cushat Close, Bolam Coyne
and Whickham Gardens in response to residents’ concerns triggered
considerable external opposition to some of the proposals.
3.2 The ensuing debate about the impact on the wider estate prompted a request
for Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to consider listing the
estate in recognition of its pioneering social architecture, which in less than 30
years has achieved worldwide status. DCMS is currently consulting on their
proposals to list the estate Grade II. The City Council has recognised the
importance of the Byker Estate and has, to date, responded positively to the
listing proposal.
3.3 The Byker Estate was designed to a masterplan by Ralph Erskine. In
anticipation of the Byker Estate being given this listed status a Conservation
Plan was commissioned jointly with English Heritage to help identify the
essential characteristics of the present area which need to be protected whilst
balancing the needs of residents and City Council’s management/maintenance
responsibilities. This report is subject of separate consultation.
4. The Proposal
4.1 In revisiting the need to justify any proposals to reshape the estate as part of a
wider regeneration strategy for Byker, it was recognised that it was essential to
test the market for alternative uses and the City Council needed to come up
with a process that would enable this to be done in a meaningful and
imaginative way.
4.2 Out of this emerged an EEC suggestion that one possibility would be to link the
possible development opportunity of the presently vacant site at Janet Croft in
South Byker with refurbishment/reuse of existing ‘problem’ buildings eg Bolam
Coyne.
4.3 In order to both test the market and engage existing resident support this
quickly developed into a proposition for a Byker Design Competition building
upon the previous experience of the City led Development Competition for the
Ouseburn.
4.4 This approach has been supported by Byker Ward Councillors and the Cabinet
Member for Housing and Regeneration as a realistic way of tackling the
expectations of Byker Estate residents whilst producing innovative and
sustainable new regeneration solutions to lead the enhancement of the estate
for the next 5-10 years.
4.5 The initial south Byker focus was then extended to the St Lawrence area sitting
between Byker Estate and the Ouseburn. The west Byker Estate (area
containing Low Fold/Dunn Terrace/Tom Collins House) was also considered
but its lack of any clear new development sites is now pointing to a separate
more targeted feasibility study to resolve sensitively the specific issues raised
in this part of the estate.
4.6 The design led competition is to ensure high quality proposals but with a strong
practical requirement that should be capable of implementation either by an
identified development partner or at a second stage marketing/procurement
exercise based upon the winning design proposals.
4.7 As part of the first stage process, residents in the above mentioned areas will
be encouraged to inform the design brief and programme in section 6 of this
report, the make up of the decision making panel, and he 5 or 6 shortlisted
design partnerships in readiness for phase 2.
4.8
It is envisaged that the client (judging) group will be chaired by the Leader of
the Council, with relevant cabinet members; local members; local community
representation; Director of Environmental, Enterprise and Culture (DEEC)
and/or Head of Planning and Transportation (HPAT); Head of the Housing
Service and ALMO; City Design Champion (Deputy Leader of the Council
and/or Head of City Design); they will be advised by a nationally renowned
architectural assessor as well as Centre for Architecture for Built-in
Environment (CABE)/English Heritage (EH) reps.. Latest thinking on the
architectural advisors, adjudication panel and technical panel is given at
Appendix 1. Views of tenants and owner-occupiers on a ‘Resident Advisory
Panel’ would be sought as part of the consultation exercise in November.
5.0 Funding
5.1 The first stage in the process will be to consult with tenants and owner occupiers
about this proposal. A series of locally based drop–in consultations sessions are
planned for November, and costs will be incurred with hiring of venues, promotion
and exhibition materials. The outcomes of the consultation will inform the design
competition brief and residents will be asked about how they would like to be
involved in the competition.
5.2 Phase 1 Costs in 2003/04
Promotion of ‘drop-in’ style exhibitions 600
Venue Hire 200
Exhibition Materials Paid by
EEC
Production of Competition Brief 2500
Promotion of Competition / OJEC notice 4000
Capacity Building for Local Residents 600
Exhibition / Display of entries in Byker 700
Contingency Costs 400
Total 9000
5.3 Costs associated with enlisting a National Architectural Advisor, in the order of
£10000 will be discussed with HMR Pathfinder.
5.4 An outline submission for Housing Market Renewal Funding (HMR) has been
lodged with the Office of the Deputy Prome Minister, and a decision is expected
later this year. As part of the outline submission funding is being sought to part
finance the Phase 2 costs that would be incurred by 5 or 6 shortlisted design
practices developing their initial ideas into more robust proposals next financial
year.
6 Programme
6.1 Although currently at an early stage of planning it is currently envisaged that the
possible process could be as follows:-
Phase 1
Establish Technical Steering Group – Oct 2003
Community Consultation – Nov 2003
Draft Competition Brief/Rules (incorporating feedback from consultation)–
Nov
Presentation to Strategic Regeneration Board – Nov
Report to Cabinet seeking approval including competition costs – Dec
Client Steering Group established – Dec (after Cabinet approval)
Final Competition Brief Approved and Printed – Dec
Launch of Competition with national architectural advisor – end of Dec 2003
Closing date for entries (6-8 weeks) - late Feb 2004
Exhibition/Display of entries in Byker – Mar 2004
Technical Assessment of Entries – Apr 2004
Selection Panel for Shortlisted Finalists – May 2004
Phase 2
Finalists invited and paid to submit more detailed schemes (with amended
brief if necessary) 4-6 weeks – Jul 2004
Further public display – Jul 2004
Final Selection Panel – Aug 2004
Announcement of winner – Sep 2004
Move into post selection/implementation phase (including any further
procurement process and preparation of contracts/legal agreements etc):
Sep - December 2004
Final phase planning consents: November – Feb/ Mar 2005
Start on site first phase –June 2005 (to coincide with 2005 Tyneside Festival
of Culture).
Please note all dates as planned target dates.
7. Consultation
7.1 The programme of consultation for the first phase is set out below:-
3 Weeks prior to consultation
A4 Poster mail shot will go to all local agencies, community groups & TA’s.
Also, posters will be displayed in local supermarkets.
1 week prior to consultation
Royal Mail will deliver invitations to all homes in the areas where the design
competition is being proposed, approximately 1000 letters.
Consultation Format
Residents will be invited to attend either of 2 consultations at The Brinkburn
Centre & St Lawrence Sq. Community Centre, held 3.p.m—7.p.m
Residents will be invited to look at display boards explaining the vision of the
design competition. Officers will walk/talk residents through the idea, explaining
how the process may work and answer any relevant questions.
Information will be available for residents to take away with them and refer back
to a later date if necessary.
Residents will be invited to sit down with an officer, who will complete a
questionnaire with them. All residents’ names & addresses to be taken, and
officers will ascertain whether they wish to be involved in further consultation.
All attendees to be written to within a month, with the results of the consultation
& informing them of the next stage of the process.
Byker Ward Committee 18th Nov 03
Verbal information to residents that public consultations will take place in
November and that notices will be displayed in East End Library, Byker
Community& Housing Office and sent to all Community groups.
9. Background Papers (Community and Housing Directorate)
DCMS Byker Listing consultation papers
Contact Officers:
Peter Aviston, Area Director (East) Ext. 27896
Tony Wyatt, Group Manager, Urban Design and Conservation (EEC) Ext. 25624
Chris Mills, Capital Investment Manager, Ext. 26850
Jennifer Vinton, Principal Investment Officer, Ext. 26832
ANNEX 1
BYKER ESTATE DESIGN COMPETITION 2003
“South Byker: Seeking a vision for the next 30 years”
Possible Architectural Adviser to the Adjudicating Panel
Piers Gough CBE : CZWG Architects
Currently serving both as Commissioner for CABE & EH
Architect for current Vaux Brewery Masterplan in Sunderland
Designed St. Ann’s Wharf building on Newcastle Quayside (Dickenson Dee’s offices)
Crown Street Regeneration (Gorbals) Glasgow
Edward Cullinan CBE : Edward Cullinan Architects
Currently an CABE Commissioner
Architect for University of East London Royal Albert Dock
Acknowledged influence of Byker Estate on his housing scheme for London Borough of
Hillingdon (visited Byker with clients)
Peter Ahrends CBE : ABK Architects
Former RFAC Commissioner
Architect for Trinity College Dublin; British Embassy in Moscow
Believed to be a Byker estate admirer following his visits when first completed.
Competition Panels ( possible membership)
Adjudicating Panel (15?)
Cllr Tony Flynn (Chairman) Leader of Newcastle City Council
National Architectural Adviser (see above)
Cllr Ruth Robson Cabinet Member : Housing & Regeneration
Cllr Danny Marshall Cabinet Member : Development & Transport
Ward Councillor(s) Two out of three?
City Council Design Champion (Councillor Taylor? or Head of City Design )
Byker Residents Representatives (2?)
Steve Dunlop Director EEC
John Miller Head of Planning & Transportation
Allan Bertram, Directorate Co-ordinator, Community & Housing
John Lee, Acting Chief Executive, ALMO
Jon Rouse/ Peter Stewart/ Joanna Averley? CABE Nomination
Peter Bromley English Heritage N.E. Region
Member of Original Design Team? Mike Drage?
Technical Panel
Peter Aviston (Chair), EEC Regeneration
Tony Wyatt, EEC Planning & Transportation
Michael Crilly, EEC Principal Urban Designer
Andrew Roe, City Design
Chris Mills, Housing Service
Jen Vinton, Housing Service
?, Neighbourhood Services
External Adviser ?
Martin Roberts, English Heritage N.E. Region
A.N. Others (perhaps any who may fall out of the final adjudicating panel line up?)
UDACG/ AMW/PA/CM
Sep 2003