DD2069 Commissioning Fund - Capel Manor campus at Crystal Palace Park

1.1 The Mayor approved (under cover of MD1469) a £400,000 ‘Commissioning Fund’ to develop a pipeline of projects in areas of Greater London where there is strong growth potential.

1.2 The allocation of an additional £80,000 from the London Regeneration Fund to the ‘Commissioning Fund’ in November 2015 was approved (under cover of MD1561).

1.3 The project brought forward in this decision is the undertaking of a feasibility study for the development of the Capel Manor campus at Crystal Palace Park (£15,850).

2.1 Commissioning Fund

2.1.1 The Commissioning Fund was set up to support the “development of high street regeneration projects in areas of London where future investment could unlock the most growth potential but where bids are not currently forthcoming”.

2.1.2 The further addition of funds from LEP revenue funds (MD1561) expanded the remit of the commissioning fund to “identify strategic opportunities for investment in areas with less capacity to develop bids” including “place specific development projects”

2.1.3 Another stated aim of the fund is to “ensure a strong pipeline of ready-to-deliver projects for future funding rounds”.

2.1.4 Projects which have been committed to funding include: Erith (LB Bexley); Anerley (LB Bromley); Feltham (LB Hounslow); Uxbridge (LB Hillingdon); Tolworth (Kingston); South Bank Centre (Lambeth); Charlton Riverside (Greenwich); and North Acton (Ealing). Currently £370,000 has been allocated from a total budget of £480,000.

2.1.4 The type of support that is proposed to be provided through the Commissioning Fund varies depending on the degree to which development work has been developed by the relevant London Borough, local business or community organisation, from town centre strategies to more focussed place-specific development projects aimed at addressing the opportunities outlined above.

2.2 Capel Manor College, Crystal Palace Park

2.2.1 Capel Manor College, a further education college, is based at their main site in Enfield. However, they also currently deliver an education offer from land and buildings leased from the Greater London Authority (GLA), within the boundary of Crystal Palace Park, which is located in the furthest north corner of LB Bromley.
The park contains other facilities for which the GLA is responsible, namely the National Sports Centre (NSC) and its adjacent landscaping and facilities.

The college is a well-respected and has a successful presence in the park, providing visitor facilities, and bringing activity through the presence of students.

The commission proposed is for a first stage feasibility study (RIBA stage 2) for the redevelopment of the College’s facilities in the park. This will be a jointly commissioned piece of work, jointly funded by the GLA and Capel Manor college, with the GLA and College as clients.

2.2.2 The reasons why the GLA is involved in this are as follows:

- The GLA is the college’s current landlord, leasing the current teaching accommodation to the college in two locations: within the stadium stands and in the city farm site. The accommodation on both sites is not ideally suited to the educational requirements, in particular the classrooms in the sports stands.
- In the wider picture, in order to progress the regeneration of the park and unlock the future possibilities of the NSC, clarification of the future and the location of Capel Manor on the site is required, as all future options would realistically require reconfiguring of the sport stadium to some degree.
- The 2007 Masterplan for the park also recognised the role of the College in the park, and sought to provide new accommodation within the site for the College. This is on the site by Ledrington Road, to the north of Crystal Palace Station. However, this site is not ideal due to its location above the railway tracks, and needs for the type and quantity of accommodation have changed since this plan was drawn up, due to changes in the Further Education sector.
- The continued and improved presence of the College in the park is also welcome, as it has the potential to contribute to the long term sustainability of the park. There is the potential to expand the College’s opportunity to provide the maintenance of the park via a service level agreement with LB Bromley, or the future Trust running the park. This would bring a number of welcome benefits, such as a considerable uplift in maintenance standards, apprentiship and employment opportunities, which in turn would cross subsidise expanded visitor attractions in the park, and providing these with a sustainable funding source.
- Concurrently, LB Bromley are drawing up a Regeneration plan for the park, and so the opportunity is currently there to integrate the needs of the College with this plan.

2.2.3 The proposed feasibility study is therefore, required to clarify the needs and role of Capel Manor within the park going forward.

The aim is to provide the College with excellent teaching spaces, as well as help the College develop visitor facilities, which are integrated with teaching and income requirements.

The College’s courses (such as animal husbandry and horticultural training) are a perfect complement to the park’s facilities and offer. Overall the feasibility study will aim to set the College and its activities in a position to both complement and support ongoing plans to regenerate the park itself.

2.2.4 Through discussions with Capel Manor and the GLA it has been agreed in principle that, given the mutually beneficial nature of exploring future options on the site, the feasibility study be jointly commissioned.

3.1 Through their existing public sector duties and via the requirements which will be set out in the funding agreement, the GLA must ensure that they give due regard to the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty: eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people when carrying out this project.

3.2 The following issues have been considered specifically:

• Architectural proposals: All architectural proposals will be assessed in terms of accessibility to ensure we minimise disadvantages suffered by people who share a protected characteristic: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status.
• Documents and publications: all documents produced will comply with Mayor of London branding guidelines, it being based on guidance from the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Where possible accessible formats will be available. Events: all events will be open to all and, where possible, we will encourage people who share a protected characteristic to participate in any activity in which their participation is disproportionately low.

4.1 Key risks and issues:

• Key risks and their control measures will be reported to Budget and Performance Review as part of the regular updates and performance management.

4.2 Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities:

• This investment is linked to the Mayors commitment to championing the FE sector
• Mayoral commitments to health and well-being are indirectly tied to this project, as ultimately the park redevelopment will increase the availability of facilities for an active lifestyle in this location, as well as improve public spaces
• The Commissioning Fund has been developed to support London Plan policies to make better places to live in, work in, and do business in.

4.3 Impact assessments and consultations:

• As part of the tender process for consultants and contractors on the project, tenderers will be asked to provide details of their equality policy and environmental impact policy.

5.1 The total gross cost of the proposed feasibility study is £15,850 and the net cost to the GLA being £10,850. The balance of £5,000 will be funded via a contribution from the Capel Manor College. The GLA contribution of £10,850 will be funded from the High Street ‘Commissioning Fund’ as approved by MD1469 & MD1561 respectively.

5.2 Any changes to this proposal, including budgetary implications and further developments which are a direct result of the feasibility study will be subject to further approval via the Authority’s decision-making process. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.

6.1 The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Director concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to promote or which may be considered facilitative of or conducive to the promotion of the economic development and wealth creation in Greater London.

6.2 Should the Director be minded to approve the proposals set out in this report officers must ensure that they:

6.2.1 pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
6.2.2 consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom;
6.2.3 consult with appropriate bodies;
6.2.4 are content that the GLA can meet the conditions to which the provision of funding from Capel Manor College is subject, seeking legal and finance advice as necessary;
6.2.5 do not act in reliance of that funding until a legally binding commitment is in place in concerning the provision of the same; and
6.2.6 any supplies and/or services required for the delivery of the programme are procured by Transport for London Procurement and officers should liaise with Transport for London Procurement in this regard and ensure that appropriate contract documentation is put in place with and executed by the GLA and proposed service providers before the commencement of the required supplies and/or services.

6.3 In considering this request for a decision the director must pay regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the director should have particular regard to section 3 above of this report.