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Agenda item

Melksham Community Campus update

Louise Cary – Head of Community Development, Wiltshire Council

 

Suzanne Gough - Senior Project Manager Strategic Asset & FM, Wiltshire Council

 

 

A note regarding the construction arrangements will be circulated in advance of the meeting and after communications have been sent to local residents and clubs

 

Minutes:

Introduced Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling - Cabinet Member for ICT, Digitalisation, Operational Assets, Leisure and Libraries who advised that:

 

·         The Melksham community should focus on the prize, it will be worth the inevitable disruption caused during the construction phase. Good communication will be important between all parties

 

·         That the Melksham campus was the first Wiltshire Council campus being built from the ground up.

 

 

Louise Cary – Head of Community Development, Wiltshire Council

 

Project Update and Design Changes

 

·         That Pellikaan Construction, a leisure specialist contractor, were appointed as Principal Contractor via the UK Leisure Framework in early 2020

 

·         That the Project team had been developing the designs and construction plan.

 

·         That COVID-19 had significantly impacted the council’s human and financial resources. A review of the council-wide capital programme had taken place and spend re-profiled, which had slowed the pace of the project for a period.

 

·         The council reaffirmed its commitment to deliver this project.

 

·         Construction would commence early next year.

 

·         That Pellikaan has appointed a leisure specialist Architects, Roberts Limbrick Architects, to work with them on developing the building design.

 

·         That design changes had been made, but these were all considered improvements in terms of impact on adjacent residential properties; operational functionality; sustainable credentials and increased community spaces.

 

Suzanne Gough - Senior Project Manager Strategic Asset & FM, Wiltshire Council

 

Access Update – A350 Challenges

 

When the campus achieved planning, the intention was for construction access to enter the site via Western Way (A350).

 

As proposals have developed, concerns about safety, disruption and deliverability have emerged:

 

·         Safety and Disruption - Steps to make the access route safer have been considered, but would result in significant disruption to the A350 and its tributaries.

 

·         Programme - Creating an access road via the A350 has had a significant impact on the programme, increasing this by circa 6 months.

 

·         Deliverability -The A350 access point can only be utilised for 55% of the construction programme, due to the proposed location of the campus building.

 

·         For the remaining period the only way to deliver the project is through the Market Place.

 

Access Update

 

·         Following a series of positive meetings with the Area Board members, we are now intending bring all construction traffic into the site via the Market Place.

 

·         Construction vehicles would enter and exit the site from either Spa Road or King Street.

 

·         All Campus construction vehicles would avoid the town centre.

 

Next Steps

 

·         Design Changes - Non-Material Amendment submitted

 

·         Access Changes - Section 73 notice submitted to change the access to the site, with flexibility via Spa Road and King Street

Extend construction period by half an hour, Monday – Friday

Discharge of Construction conditions.

 

·         Construction - Detailed design work continued, contracts were being finalised.

 

·         A number of site surveys would be undertaken including archaeological works.

 

·         Construction was due to commence on-site in early 2021.

 

·         That the roof of the sports hall was now slightly lower than the initial plans.

 

 

Questions

 

Had there been any surveys of the impact on town car parks during the construction phase?

Response: Parking Services had been consulted. Signage would be provided. A Wiltshire Council press release would be released highlighting any the parking changes.

 

Concerns re the roof for badminton – what is the floor to roof?

Floor to roof height is 9 metres, which will enable competitive levels of badminton to take place.

 

The Chairman advised that he was excited to see the campus on the starting blocks.

 

The Area Board thanked all Wiltshire Council officers involved in this project.

 

The Chairman thanked Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Louise Cary and Suzanne Gough for their presentations.

 

Note: written reports were included as part of the agenda pack

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