RECOVERING A PUBLIC SPACE

Sandham Middle School And The Imagination Refinery

On 9th February 2016, the IR team met with the IWC Executive and presented an outline proposal for a hybrid redevelopment of the school, incorporating affordable and custom-build residential spaces around a core community facility and business incubator set within publicly accessible greenspace. The Executive accepted the proposal as one worth continuing to progress with councillors and officers, in order to present a comprehensive vision and viability model to Full Council later in the spring.

On 6th April 2016, the IR team and IWC visited Connolly and Callaghan in Bristol to see Hamilton House, a renowned example of flexible community and cultural space transforming one of the most deprived parts of Bristol and a model of success that has influenced the IR project.

IWC requested an outline document, with vision, method and viability statements, for further consideration by council Executive at the end of May.

Comments and advice received from IWC in early June provided guidance on key constraints and planning policy compliance and a meeting date of 8th August 2016 was set for revisions to be presented to officers and the Executive.