GREENLAW TOWN HALL OPTIONS APPRAISAL

This is a summary of the up-dated Options Appraisal for Greenlaw Town Hall, which was presented by Paul Jardine of Jura Consultants in a public meeting on Monday 18th June, 2007.

Introduction and Background

The options appraisal has been overseen by a Project Committee. The Committee has an independent Chair (Peter Leggate) and draws its membership from Greenlaw Town Hall Trust and the Friends of Greenlaw. The following multi-disciplinary team was commissioned to undertake the study:

• Jura Consultants
• Adam Dudley Architects
• Morham and Brotchie Partnership, Quantity Surveyors
• David Narro Associates, Structural Engineers
• Alba Conservation Trust

The purpose of the options appraisal process is to define a long-term use for the building that is both deliverable and sustainable.

Consultation
• 400 questionnaires distributed to Greenlaw households
• 122 responses (30.5% of those distributed)
• On-line survey to consult a wider audience

PREFERENCE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE TOWN HALL BUILDING
Building Future % of Respondents
Restoration of the entire building 49.6%
Demolition of the entire building 16.8%
Partial demolition, leaving the dome and single storey elements 16.0%
Restoration of the frontage only with new build behind 10.1%
Demolition and relocation and rebuild 5.0%
Other 2.5%

PREFERENCE FOR THE FUTURE USE OF GREENLAW TOWN HALL
Percentage of Respondents
Potential Use Completely in Favour Slightly in Favour No Preference Slightly Against Completely Against
Used as a community facility 76.9% 9.3% 2.8% 11.1% 11.3%
Converted to a leisure facility 49.5% 26.2% 6.5% 4.7% 13.1%
Converted to studios for artists/crafts persons 24.1% 31.5% 15.7% 3.7% 25.0%
Converted to offices for sale/lease local business(es) 15.1% 30.2% 10.4% 11.3% 33.0%
Converted to serviced visitor/tourist accommodation 8.9% 22.8% 18.8% 14.9% 34.7%
Converted to housing for sale 4.8% 4.8% 6.7% 13.5% 70.2%
Converted to social housing 4.8% 7.6% 3.8% 9.5% 74.3%
Used as a storage for local business(es) on a sale or lease basis 2.9% 6.9% 15.7% 16.7% 57.8%
Converted to self catering/ youth hostel 2.0% 11.8% 14.7% 21.6% 50.0%
Options Considered

1. Housing (restoration and part new build)
2. Theatre
3. Community Use and Office Space
4. Office (restoration and part new build)

Deliverability Appraisal

Scheme Cost (£) Funding Gap (£)
Option 1 – Housing, (restoration) 4,100,000 1,500,000
Option 2 – Housing (new build) 4,300,000 2,550,000
Option 3 – Theatre 3,500,000 2,000,000
Option 4 - Community Use and Office Accommodation 3,500,000 1,800,000
Option 5 – Offices (restoration) 4,200,000 3,400,000
Option 6 – Offices (new build) 4,100,000 3,600,000

Sustainability Appraisal

• Housing
o Assumes owner occupation

• Theatre
o Require substantial footfall
o Greenlaw catchment area is insufficient
o Poor long-term prospects

• Offices
o Limited local demand
o High risk in that achieving significant occupancy is unlikely

• Community Use and Office Space
o Income potential
o Reasonable level of expenditure
o Net operating cost £22,000 per annum

Preferred Option
Community Use and Office Space
• Funding Gap £1.8 million
• Operational Deficit £22,000
• Endowment Required £440,000