Decision details

To consider the arrangements for the implementation of the Visitor Centre and Café phase of the Master Plan for the enhancement of Cobtree Manor Park.

1.  That the final designs for the Visitor Centre and Café be developed in line with the concept design previously endorsed, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Cobtree Officer, which fully supports the delivery of the Charity’s objects;

2.  That the base option design set out in Appendix B to the report of the Cobtree Officer which sets out in further detail the previously approved concept design (Appendix A) be approved;

3.  That the contract for the construction of the Visitor Centre and Café be put out to tender abiding by Maidstone Borough Council’s procurement rules and that following evaluation by the Officers the recommended tender be reported to the Committee for acceptance;

4.  That the offer of £300,000 from the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. towards the cost of the Visitor Centre and Café be accepted with thanks and that the Head of Legal Services be given delegated authority to enter into an agreement with the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. to this effect;

5.  That agreement be given to the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. having full publicity rights over a plaque or interpretation area within the new Visitor Centre and Café to tell visitors how Cobtree Manor Park has been made available for the benefit and use of the general public by the founder, Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake;

6.  That the Officers be authorised to investigate options for the future management and operation of the Visitor Centre and Café that will deliver the Charity’s objects and to report their recommended option back to the Committee;

7.  That the Officers be authorised to seek approval from the Charity Commission as to the variation of the terms for the way in which the finances for the construction of the Visitor Centre and Café are arranged, as previously agreed by the Charity Commission, if considered necessary; and

8.  That the renewed spirit of co-operation between the Charity known as the Cobtree Manor Estate and the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. be welcomed and recorded.

The Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. has generously offered to fund £300k which will enable the Visitor Centre and Café concept design previously endorsed by the Committee to be implemented.  Following a quantity survey of the concept design plans the cost has risen beyond that initially budgeted, from £350,000 (£315,000 plus £35,000 contingency) to £439,796.  A lower price option of £358,842 has been investigated, but this does not deliver the iconic building originally envisaged.

The original concept design for the Visitor Centre and Café approved by the Committee provides a space which links closely with the outdoors, gives a larger area of seating, provides storage for park equipment (enabling the current container to be removed), gives a separate baby change (something which has been requested by park users) and more floor space enabling a larger seating area.  This base option design is set out in Appendix B to the report of the Cobtree Officer.  This option also provides a larger area to be used as a separate space which could potentially be rented out to provide income to cover the maintenance costs of the building.  Given the large increase in visitor numbers to the Park it is proposed that as large a building as can be afforded should be built to cope with the day to day needs during peak periods.

The lower price option loses a number of the features originally considered important for the concept design: there are fewer windows, decreasing the view across the Park from the proposed café; the roof design has been dramatically altered losing many of the roof lights thereby reducing natural light inside; the sliding doors have been reduced altering the flow of the building between indoors and outdoors; and the quality of the finish and installation has been reduced and the floor space is smaller.  This lower price option, shown as Appendix C to the report, would therefore be very different to that originally approved by the Committee.

The higher cost of the building than originally planned is a result of the projected build time being longer than anticipated.  The Visitor Centre and Café will be project managed and a discussion is underway with the project manager already appointed for the first two phases.  Officers have been advised that with successful project management it should be possible to reduce the build time and therefore the cost.  Officers will also look to value engineer the project (identify and remove unnecessary expenditure) to bring the overall cost down.

The generous donation from the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. will enable the construction of the concept design approved by the Committee, shown as Appendix A to the report and in further detail as base option Appendix B, to be implemented, without having to reduce the size or quality of the building.

The additional funding required over and above the donation from the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. will come from the funds already allocated to phase three of the Cobtree Master Plan project.

Funds remaining after the final cost of the building has been budgeted for will be returned to the endowment and a report on the reallocation of the funds resulting from the donation from the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. will be brought back to the Committee.  The success of the project has meant that some items originally included in the initial Master Plan have had to be dropped to enable items such as increased car parking capacity to be included in phase two of the project.  These original features can only be included if additional project funding is found.

The donation could enable additional funds to be released for the remainder of the project, allowing further improvements to the car parking and other items from the original project plan to be included following the completion of the Visitor Centre and Café.  It could also be used for improvements to the Museum of Kent Life and the Golf Course, subject to the approval of the Charity Commission.

It is proposed that an agreement be drawn up with the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. regarding the donation in order to give the Trust assurance over the usage of the money and its request for the generosity of the founder to be publicised to be ensured.

It is the generosity of Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake that has endowed both the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd. and the Charity known as the Cobtree Manor Estate with the resources to be used for the benefit of the people of Maidstone.  It is fitting therefore that the Cobtree Trust Ltd. has asked that this be recognised in the Visitor Centre and Café in some way.  Given the generosity of their donation it is reasonable that they should be granted full publicity rights for this particular project.

It is proposed that detailed designs are drawn up from the concept design already approved by the Committee, as set out in Appendix A to the report, to enable the construction of the Visitor Centre and Café (subject to planning permission being granted) to proceed and to ensure the designs support delivery of the Charity’s objectives.

Using the Maidstone Borough Council procurement process for the construction of the Visitor Centre and Café will ensure that the appointment of the contractor is robust.

Once planning permission is granted and the budget has been finalised it will be important to get phase three of the project moving swiftly if possible.  A further report will be brought to the Committee to outline the recommendations arising from the conclusion of the procurement process. Ideally Officers would like construction to be completed by the school summer holidays next year, which is the busiest time in the Park. If this is not possible the overall impact of the build may need to be considered and it is possible it will need to be delayed until the autumn.

The Visitor Centre and Café is a new building which will require a new way of running compared to the existing café, the lease of which expires in May 2014.  It is proposed that Officers investigate now all the available options in order to ensure it operates efficiently and provides the best facility possible and that a recommended option is then brought to the Committee for approval.  Overall income generation from the Café will be considered as part of this future report as the facility has the potential to be self funding in terms of running costs and could potentially generate income for the Charity.  The new method of operation may result in the need to undertake a procurement process.  The length of the tender process and the need to have the successful operator ready to operate the facility by the time the building is completed means it is important this is considered early on in the process.

The alternative course of action is not to accept the offer of £300,000 from the Cobtree Charity Trust Ltd.  This is not considered appropriate as it would mean the concept design previously approved by the Committee cannot be afforded and a low budget option would need to be investigated instead.

Additional external funding will enable some of the funds originally directed towards the Visitor Centre and Café to be redirected to improve other parts of the project.  Rejecting the offer of additional funding will mean that these additional items cannot be afforded.

Not permitting final designs to be worked up, and the tender exercise for the building contract to commence, will result in a delay to the building of the new Visitor Centre and Café.  This building is needed urgently as the current facility struggles to cope with the number of visitors now using the Park and the facilities are of such poor quality that it is now the main source of any complaints regarding the Park that are received.

The lower cost option could be chosen, but this would result in a smaller facility which would not meet the original requirements and which would result in the need for a storage container to remain onsite for equipment.