Community Design - Community Buildings

Community Design already covers a wide range of themes and one, which is becoming increasingly popular, is Community Buildings .

As an example, one of the first projects to be undertaken was the proposed Restoration and Conversion of the Old Station Buildings, Longridge. The recent Market Town Health Check had identified the project as an aim for the Town.

The building situated in the town centre is to be converted and restored to house, office space, a local archive, toilets, meeting rooms, reception area, exhibition space and a themed café. This will have the benefit of serving not only the residents of Longridge but visitors to the Town and the adjacent Forest of Bowland AONB. The proposed uses have also been selected to help make the building self-financing and sustainable.

The request to assist with the project came from the Town Council and an interested Heritage Group. Initial sketch designs for the project were developed to incorporate the above uses, design constraints where identified and other recent examples of Community Halls studied. These designs were presented to the group and reworked a number of times. Advice was also given in identifying possible funding for design and future development.

Following a draft agreement to the design proposals, the Environmental Projects Team produced a detailed design brief for the development of the scheme. The services of a local architect where commissioned to develop the design further to a standard suitable for applying for planning permission.

Obtaining Planning Permission has enabled the project to promote the scheme and seek funding for detailed design and hopefully eventual development of the scheme.

Therefore, for this type of project, Community Design will typically provide a set of drawings suitable for applying for planning permission.

Beyond this stage, for example, budget costings, detailed design, quantities, site investigations, building regulations, tendering and construction. Costs do begin to rise, but using the Community Design drawings, groups will be able to apply for grant assistance to help cover costs. Advice and assistance through these further stages can be provided by the Environmental Projects Team.

• Click on this link or plan image for detailed version (541 kb) of the plan