Agenda item

Report of the Director of Business, Investment and Culture

Further to Minute 71/20, the Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Business, Investment and Culture which sought approval for the main construction works for the City Centre Cultural Gateway, which includes the creation of a Collections Centre for nationally significant cultural, arts and historical artefacts, in collaboration with the Partners, Arts Council England (ACE), British Council (BC) and Culture Coventry Trust (CCT); along with the development of a new Cultural Hub by Coventry University in the former IKEA building.

The City Centre Cultural Gateway project has identified the following three phases:-

Phase 1 – Working with the Partners, the Collections Centre phase involves the conversion of some specified Floors into bespoke facilities for the storage, care and management of nationally significant arts, cultural and heritage artefacts.

Phase 2 – The Cultural Hub phase is proposed by Coventry University, to provide a range of cultural educational, engagement, training, and professional development opportunities.

Phase 3 – The ‘shell and core’ works to the remaining Floors will facilitate future letting of these huge floor plates, by enclosing (shell) the floors; and providing essential (core) services to the floor for future service connection and distribution.

The report sought approval to an option which involves the development of all three Phases of the project (as outlined above) simultaneously. This would mean that the development of the Collections Centre; Cultural Hub; and the ‘Shell and Core’ conversion of the remaining Floors would be procured and funded as a single capital scheme. This would in turn secure the tenancy of the two national Partners (Arts Council England and British Council) and Culture Coventry Trust and the tenancy of Coventry University. It would also secure the future suitability of letting the remaining Floors, through the enclosure (shell) of these floors along with provision of essential (core) services for the benefit of future tenancies.

All three Phases of the project have currently been developed through RIBA Stage 3 (Developed) design and have progressed into the RIBA Stage 4 (Technical) design process, which is the stage that carries the detailed designs into a formal set of Employer’s Requirements for contract tender.

Following a process of public consultation and exhibitions, all three Phases have been submitted as a single Planning Application, including an overarching façade design that draws all the floors into a single and seamless façade appearance.  Work has commenced on securing consultancy support to test the options for the future use and letting of the remaining floors.

The report outlined the strategic and development implications of approving all three Phases of the project, together with the proposed next steps.

A corresponding private report detailing confidential financial and business matters was also submitted for consideration (Minute 115 below refers).

RESOLVED that the Cabinet recommends that Council:

1)  Approves capital expenditure of a sum specified in the corresponding private report to be financed from prudential borrowing to fund the construction and professional fees for the Collection Centre development within the City Centre Cultural Gateway Project

2)  Approves capital expenditure of a sum specified in the corresponding private report  to be financed from prudential borrowing to fund the construction and professional fees for the Cultural Hub (Coventry University) development within the City Centre Cultural Gateway Project

3)  Approves capital expenditure of a sum specified in the corresponding private report to be financed from prudential borrowing to fund the construction and professional fees for the Future Proofing – enclosure, shell and core works to Floors 1 and 2.

4)  Delegates authority to the Director of Business, Investment and Culture and Interim Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer), following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, to undertake the necessary due diligence and finalise terms of Agreements for Lease between Coventry City Council and Arts Council England, British Council and Culture Coventry in respect of the Collection Centre development.

5)  Delegates authority to the Director of Business, Investment and Culture and Interim Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer), following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, to undertake the necessary due diligence and finalise terms of an Agreement for Lease between Coventry City Council and Coventry University in respect of the Cultural Hub development.

6)  Authorises the commencement of all necessary procurement for works or services necessary to bring into effect the recommendations set out in 1) to 3) above.

7)  Delegates authority to the Director of Business, Investment and Culture and Interim Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer), following consultation with the Chief Legal Officer, following the conclusion of the procurement tender to award contracts due to the tight timescale involved.