Committees: Dates:

Corporate Projects Board Projects Sub

15 May 2017 06 June 2017

Subject: Golden Lane Area Lighting and Accessibility Enhancements

Gateway 1&2 Project Proposal - Light

Public

Report of: Director of the Built Environment

For Decision

Report Author: Leila Ben-Hassel

Recommendations

1. Approve £5,000 of fees and £13,000 of staff costs, £9,000 to be funded from the s106 funds for the Bart‟s Close Redevelopment, £9,000 from the Fann Street Redevelopment. 2. The project proceeds on the light route to the next Gateway.

1. Approval track and next Gateway

Approval track: 3. Light

Next Gateway: Gateway 4a - Inclusion in Capital Programme (Light) / Gateway 5.

2. Resource requirements to reach next Gateway

Item Cost (£) Funds/ Source of Funding

Fees¹ £5,000 S106s connected to the Bart‟s Close Redevelopment (£9,000) and Fann Street Redevelopment (£9,000)

Staff Costs² £13,000

¹ Fees to appoint an architect to develop improvement options to the

disabled access routes and other necessary design input in the wider project scope.

² Staff costs reflect the in-house design approach and correspond to:

£3,000 – about 35 hours of City Highways Lighting Engineer services on lighting design development.

£4,000 – about 45 hours of City Highways Civil Engineer services on disabled access improvements, liaising with appointed architect, producing necessary drawings and estimates to inform Gateway 5 report (Phase 3).

£6,000 – about 75 hours of City Public Realm Project Manager time on managing the consultation, design development, report writing and planning processes.

3. Next steps Develop outline options for lighting improvements in-house

Undertake consultation with residents and stakeholders to establish preferred option

Develop preferred option for lighting improvements

Appoint consultant to develop sketch design options to improve the estate‟s accessible routes

Prepare Gateway 5 report (phase 1)

Project Summary

4. Context This project includes a key objective of the Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy (2015) which is to provide the area with „sensitive and energy-efficient lighting that respects and enhances the architectural setting and positively contributes to the character of the area by night‟.

„Golden Lane estate improvements‟ are identified as a high priority in the Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy. This project also addresses an agreed objective if the strategy which is „the need to enhance Golden Lane as a pedestrian friendly link and that proposals should respect the neighbourhood‟s mix and function, paying special attention to any potential increases in lighting levels‟.

Residents and local users have recently shared concerns about areas of the estate and surrounding streets being poorly lit at night and have expressed feeling unsafe as result. Officers have investigated these concerns and assessed the existing lighting in the area – see location map in appendix 1. This has confirmed that lighting levels in some parts of the Estate and surrounding streets (City Walkway and Highway) are patchy with poor visibility caused by under-lit areas particularly in stepped areas and along key pedestrian routes to local community facilities - see site pictures in appendix 2. Most of the existing lighting units on the estate are original. The lighting has been maintained on a regular basis but units fail frequently and are difficult to repair/replace as they are becoming obsolete. In addition, officers identified the need to improve the current disabled/step-free access routes between estate levels as it is currently difficult to navigate as it is of a poor quality and obstructed in places – see site pictures in appendix 2. Due to concerns of residents of the estate in relation to the lighting in particular, officers are recommending this project be prioritised over other projects identified in the area strategy as set out in appendix 3.

5. Brief description of project

This project will support the aims of the Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy by enhancing lighting on the most travelled routes, introducing different light ambiences, exploring smart lighting technology to remotely control lighting levels and times to adapt to the various uses of the area and enhancing accessible routes, whilst preserving the original lighting design intent.

The Golden Lane Estate is a Grade II listed post-war housing development (Crescent House is Grade II* listed) of great architectural value – see extent of listed status on plan in Appendix and the scope of proposed improvements will be defined within the parameters of the listed status.

This project will be focussing on:

Addressing the current deficiencies in lighting levels that are impacting on pedestrian movement and experience, incl. reducing fear of crime;

Improving access and comfort for residents and local users thereby providing a more inclusive public realm;

Positively contributing to enhancing the historic character of the estate.

6. Consequences if project not approved

Failure to meet the condition of the Bart‟s Close S106 Agreement to deliver lighting improvements at Golden Lane leisure centre. To date one million from the “voluntary” contribution of £4.5M Bart‟s Close S106 Agreement have been received and the £3.5M remainder of funding which is to be used to deliver the new public square at Bart‟s Close and the West Smithfield Access Improvements will not be released if the £40k contribution for lighting isn‟t initiated. Therefore, if the project is not approved, all contributions contained in the agreement could be prejudiced;

Existing deficiencies with existing lighting and disabled access routes will not be able to be addressed;

An opportunity to create energy efficiencies in relation to lighting maintenance will be missed.

7. Success criteria

A more comfortable and pleasant environment, particularly at night time;

A more inclusive and accessible public realm;

Reduced fear of crime;

Improved navigation across the estate particularly at night time.

8. Key Benefits Health and safety risks significantly minimised through enhanced lighting, particularly in stepped and uneven areas;

Reduced maintenance costs and energy savings through the use of robust materials and efficient LED lighting units

Key pedestrian routes are more accessible and pleasant with and enhanced feeling of safety

Improved navigation across the Estate to the leisure centre

Monitoring of some of the benefits will include pre and post-implementation surveys.

9. Notable exclusions

None

10. Governance arrangements

Spending Committee: Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee and Community and Children‟s Services.

Senior Responsible Officer: City Public Realm Assistant Director.

Project Client: Housing and Neighbourhoods Assistant Director.

Project Management: City Public Realm.

Project Board: No.

This project sits within the Housing Major Projects Programme. Coordination with other ongoing Golden Lane Housing projects will be undertaken through the City‟s Housing Programme Board.

Prioritisation

11. Link to Strategic Aims

2. To provide modern, efficient and high quality local services, including policing, within the Square Mile for workers, residents and visitors

12. Links to existing strategies, programmes and projects

Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy (adopted 2015);

City Public Realm Supplementary Planning Document;

Emerging CoL Lighting Strategy;

Emerging Cultural Hub Strategy;

Emerging Smart City Initiatives;

Projects currently undertaken on the estate: Playground Refurbishment and Concrete Repairs Project. These do not constitute dependencies on this project and wider coordination will be undertaken through the Housing Programme Board.

13. Project category

4b. Substantially reimbursable

14. Project priority

B. Advisable

Project Planning

15. Programme and key dates

In order to inform this report a site appraisal and early engagement with the City‟s Lighting Engineer (Highways), Housing Division (project client) and City Planning Officers have been undertaken.

Given the identified need to upgrade the estate area lighting, it is proposed to phase the project as follows:

Phase 1: conversion of existing lighting units to LED (on housing land) and upgrade of existing highways lighting;

Phase 2: additional estate lighting as per proposals finalised through consultation, incl. approval process required given the listed status of the estate.

Phase 3: Improvements to the estate‟s accessible routes (including signage).

Key dates up to Gateway 5:

Task Timeline

Consultation with residents and local business occupiers

June/July 2017

Develop preferred option (Phases 1-3)

July to September 2017

Gateway 5 – Phase 1(lighting quick wins)

July 2017

Gateway 5 – Phases 2 & 3 (additional lighting incl. smart technology and access improvements)

October 2017

16. Risk implications Overall project risk: Green

Key risks:

Insufficient funding available to carry out full scope of works.

To be mitigated through investigation of external funding sources, including S106, CIL and external contributions from local businesses. Should additional funding not be successfully secured, the design scope would be adjusted to fit the budget available.

Objections at listed building consent stage

To be mitigated through early engagement of City Planners and early residents consultation on options to inform design development.

17. Stakeholders and consultees

Local Ward Members

City of London Housing Division (C&CS)

City of London Planning, Access, Highways and Cleansing Divisions (DBE)

Occupiers (shops, Housing Office, Leisure Centre)

Residents and local service users

City of London Access Team (DBE)

City of London Police (Architectural Liaison and Community Police)

Resource Implications

18. Total estimated cost

Likely cost range:

1. Under £250k – Anticipated to be £150k-£250k

19. Funding strategy

Partial funding confirmed External - Funded wholly by contributions from external third parties

Proposed overall funding strategy:

Officers have investigated available funding sources for this project and have identified 2 appropriate S.106 obligations:

1/ The section 106 Agreement for Bart‟s Close which stipulates a sum of £40,000 be allocated towards improving lighting at Golden Lane leisure centre. As this funding is restricted geographically and specifically for lighting purposes, officers recommend the use of this funding for this project. 2/ The section 106 Agreement for Fann Street which specifies that the Site Specific Mitigation contribution is to be allocated towards works pursuant to the Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy - £72,566 available. Based on the evidence of need highlighted in section 4 of this report, officers recommend that this high priority project of the area strategy be prioritised above others identified in the strategy tabulation of projects (appendix 3) that is eligible to be funded from this source. 3/ Other sources of funding explored include: external funding contributions possibly from local businesses, maintenance budgets and CIL.

The funding strategy will be finalised once the full scope of the project is established and phases will be progressed as and when funding becomes available. In the event that additional funding cannot be secured, the project will be designed to the resources available.

Funding strategy for resources needed to reach next gateway:

Funds/Sources of Funding to reach Gateway 5 (Phase 1)

Cost (£)

S106s connected to the Barts Close development and the Fann Street redevelopment (50/50)

£18,000

Total £18,000

20. On-going revenue implications

Positive impacts are anticipated on both City Highways (DBE) and Housing (C&CS) revenue budgets through energy efficiencies to be created through LED upgrades.

21. Legal implications

The section 106 Agreement for Bart‟s Close stipulates that in order for the main Public Realm contribution to be released, a sum of £40,000 is to be allocated towards improving lighting at Golden Lane leisure centre and a project initiated.

The Barts Close section 106 contribution can only be used for the Golden Lane leisure centre lighting including areas used by the Golden Lane leisure centre customers and staff such as the leisure centre access routes. The section 106 Agreement for Fann Street stipulates that the Site Specific Mitigation contribution is to be allocated towards works pursuant the Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy.

Listed Building Consent and possibly also planning permission will be required for the works relating to additional estate lighting, wayfinding and disabled/step-free access improvements.

22. Traffic implications

None

23. Equality Impact Assessment

An equality impact assessment will be undertaken

Appendices

Appendix 1 extent of estate listed status

Appendix 2 Site pictures

Appendix 3 Extract from Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy – Tabulation of projects

Contact

Report Author Leila Ben-Hassel

Email Address Leila.Ben-Hassel@cityoflondon.com

Telephone Number 020 7332 1569

APPENDIX 1: Location map and extent of estate listed status

Pic. 1

Pic. 2

Pic. 3

Pic. 4

low level

APPENDIX2: Site pictures Please note that colour print outs will be made available at the meeting for Members who do not have access to the report electronically.

Picture 1: Golden Lane Estate Public Court (poorly lit)

Picture 2: Cullum Welch House Underpass (poorly lit)

Picture 3: Disabled/step-free route (damage to handrail)

Picture 4: poorly lit and obstructed disabled/step-free route through underground car park area and bin stalls

APPENDIX 3: Extract from Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy – Tabulation of projects