The Lifeboat Education Centre Feasibility Study
Feasibility and Site Report
Foreword Following a site visit on 08/08/2015 this feasibility and site report has been prepared to document the findings and for further analysis of the site. This report will also be used as a reference and aid throughout the project and therefore aims to include all information that can be captured from the site visit.
Contents 1.0 - Introduction 2.0 - Site 2.1 - Boundaries and Ownership 2.2 - Site History 2.3 - Mining History 2.4 - Transportation Links 2.5 - Local Amenities 2.6 - Demographics 3.0 - Existing Building 3.1 - Services 3.2 - Access 3.3 - Context
Feasibility and Site Report
1.0 - Introduction As part of the BE1341 Virtual Project module I will be exploring the design and development of a existing non domestic building to provide a modern, flexible and efficient education and research centre. The centre will be located in the village of Boulmer where an existing lifeboat station is situated. Boulmer is now home to a search and rescue helicopter base (RAF Boulmer) which is one of the main bases in the northeast of England. This has meant that the lifeboat use has become somewhat obsolete, and as such the opportunity has arisen for this development. The proposed development is to be around 220m2 and is to provide an education centre for the local and greater area. (see project brief) 2.0 - Site 2.1 - Site Character The lifeboat station sits on a relatively flat, costal site. The site is open and has good views to the coast on the east and rural landscape to the west. 2.2 - Site Location Boulmer lifeboat station is based in the north of Northumberland, situation 6 mile east of Alnwick and 37 mile north of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 2.3 - Boundaries and Ownership The site is approximately 220m2 and ownership currently lies with the Boulmer Volunteer Rescue Service. At present the entrance to the site comes from the east
boundary from the Beach View road with the West boundary lying adjacent with agricultural land and the North and South boundaries lying adjacent with housing. A small stream runs along the north boundary and a hedgerow is present across the west boundary. Existing boundary treatments to the north, south and west is stone wall, as common with the sites rural location 2.4- Site History Historical maps show that the site history has changed very little since the lifeboat station was first built. A map of the area dated to the 1860s shows the lifeboat station with a small development to the north while a map dated to 1890s shows both small developments north and south of the station. From here onwards there is little change in the developments of buildings on and around the site, with the only real change in the area been that of site boundaries. [digimap.edina.ac.uk, 2014] Unfortunately there is no historical maps available before the 1860s and therefore information before this time cannot be analysed. The lifeboat service was first formed in August 1825. [www.boulmerlifeboat.co.uk] 2.5 - Mining History By looking at current and historical mining maps I can see that there is no mining history on the site or within the surrounding area. [digimap.edina.ac.uk, 2014] 2.6 - Greenbelt and Conservation The building is not currently sat within a greenbelt or conservation area.
Feasibility and Site Report
3.0 - Lifeboat Station Boulmer lifeboat station has been operational since 1825 and is one of the few remaining independently run lifeboat services in the North East [www.boulmerlifeboat.co.uk] . The current building has an entrance to the front (east side) which allows the lifeboat to be dispatched across the beach and into the north sea. In addition to this space the building has spaces which, judging by historical maps and by looking at the materials used, have been added, adapted and expanded since the original build. “The existing fabric of the lifeboat station is mainly solid wall averaging 550mm thick consisting of random rubble stonework. The main building contains 3 spaces along a liner plan. The main doors open outward towards the sea to allow a quick egress of the lifeboat. The main (largest space) internally accommodates the lifeboat. The small space directly behind this accommodates the tractor unit that is use to launch the lifeboat. The final space behind the tractor store is the crews quarters. There are two further spaces that are located either side of this linear plan. The large to the north is a drying room for all the crews wet weather clothing. The accommodation to the south allows storage of rockets/flares used to signal the crew to an emergency. The existing roof is supported on a series of timber rood trusses. The type of truss changes subtly through the internal space as the existing spans change. The existing roof is un-insulated. The existing fenestration is all single glazed and in need of replacement/improvement.� - David Morton, 2013 4.1 - Services Services on site consist of electric supply only as there is currently no supply of gas in Boulmer. The site has a water connection and has a working WC so is presumably connected to a mains sewage system - though further investigation is needed to see the condition and size of this service.
Feasibility and Site Report
3.1 - Sun path and Weather Conditions Due to it’s costal location, the building is subject to quite extreme weather conditions. During the winter months a strong north-east wind is present on the site. The Boulmer lifeboat station is situation on the edge of north-east of England coast line and therefore is in the direct path of these costal winds from the North Sea. During the summer a south-west wind and prevailing weather direction is felt on site.
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Views
North View
East View
South View
West View
2.4- Transportation Links Boulmer is fairly remote with few transport links. The site is accessible by road and is located close to the A1 (2 miles east), though this narrows to a become a country road before reaching the site. The X18 bus service which runs to the village from Newcastle-upon-tyne, this service takes roughly 2 hours and runs only once per day. There is no train station in the village, with the nearest stop been in Alnmouth. 2.5 - Local Amenities The majority of the buildings in the village are used for housing which appear to be of different style, material and age (as can be seen in the images below). As well as these houses there is a local pub and agricultural buildings in the surrounding area. 2.6 - Demographics Boulmer is a small sea front town with a population of approximately 50 people. House types in the area vary from single to two storey and have a price range between ÂŁ200,000 and ÂŁ400,000. Access There is currently only one vehicle access point to the side, which comes from the road running along the east side of the site. Pedestrian access is very limited with single footpath from the north and south, both of which come to an end before the entrance to the lifeboat station.
Vehicle Access Pedestrian Access
Feasibility and Site Report Context
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