Project Updates

Construction Update

As I am sure you are all aware from visiting the playing field, our construction works are going very well indeed. Even through hard times this year due to the Covid pandemic, we have progressed forward without delay. With rigorous safety planning, early ordering of materials and perseverance we have safely maintained the construction throughout this year.
The only delay we have experienced is in the delivery of roofing tiles due to the Manufacturer being unable to meet current demands, leading to a general shortage of supply and an extended delivery time of 14-16 weeks from the date of the order. The original delivery was scheduled for 12/10 but this has now been extended by a further 6 – 8 weeks. Additional measures have been put in place to protect the roof over the winter months until the roof tiles can be secured.
The internal walls are being fitted now with the building insulation complete and windows now in place, the reality of the Hub building is really starting to take shape.

Finances

In general, the construction finances are looking strong, but the contingency fund has been significantly hit by the increased sewer diversion works and cost of building materials has increased by 5-10% due to the struggling economy.

Loan Repayments
To complete the project finances, we have a Public Works loan (from Parish Council) totalling £50,000.00 to be repaid by Hub @ £917.69 half yearly, commencing 1/11/2020 until 22/05/2069. This was accounted for in the construction costs until the anticipated opening. Due to the risk of the public restrictions from the Covid pandemic, our short term revenue is unknown.

To give us financial security, we are looking for 25 people (ideally taxpayers) who would be willing to set up a Standing Order for a minimum monthly payment of £5 over a fixed period of one (or preferably two) years to help us help maintain our loan repayments.

All contributors would be entitled to a free cup of coffee or tea, for each monthly payment made, at our monthly Hub Cafés when they restart. We will also gift you a personalised Brick as a thank you.

Please get in touch if you would like more information –

or phone 07500 748609

Car Park

The estimated construction cost for the car park is £15,000, based on the lowest tender received from Landscape Somerset, dated November 2019. Revised tenders
will be obtained in January 2021 to give a fixed cost.
We currently have the following funds secured towards the cost:
1. Ringfenced CIL grant – £7,971.00
2. SW&TC Community Chest Grant – £4,700 (awarded 30/10)
Total – £12,671.00 leaving £2,329.00 to secure.

Thanks for reading, we hope to see you around soon.

The Hub Team

Planning Application

• Planning Application approved on 7/10/ 2019
• Conditions to be discharged before commencement of work on site in progress
• Planning application for non-material amendments to scheme, for revised siteworks and porch, submitted in February and approved on 4/3/2020

Construction Drawings / Specification

All drawings and specification complete. Currently waiting for quotations for Building regulation application approval, including, application fee, inspection charges, energy calculations and air permeability testing.

Bishops Hull Hub and Trust Sub-Group Update on Lease

• The draft sub-lease has been completed and sent to the VH&PFT and SW&TC Solicitor. Waiting for final versions of head and sub lease to be issued for signing.

Construction Costs and Programme

• The agreed contract sum, (with savings) is £452,556.74, including 5% contingency.
• The Contractor will be appointed under a standard form of building contract on the basis of the tender figure of £473,042.74, based on the Contract Drawings, and an Architects Instruction will be issued to omit the various agreed savings to reduce the contract figure to £452,556.74.
• Our Architect has been asked to advise on the most suitable form of standard building contract, to include contractor design as there are sub-contractor design elements, including heating and ventilation, electrical installation and steel frame design.
• The possible construction programme agreed in principle with R&J Sweet is for the Hub project to start on site in May 2020, with completion in February 2021. The VH&PFT’s preferred date for work to commence is after 28/05/2020, although a compound could be fenced off prior to this date.
• In addition to the construction costs we will have to fund the professional fees for the administration of the building contract, which have been quoted by our Architects as £10,000. This gives a total project cost of £462,556.74, rounded up to £462,557.00

Funding and Grant Applications

• Current secured funding is now as follows

1. Section 106 fund – £236,755.00.
2. CIL fund £50,000.00
3. Garfield Weston Foundation. Approved Grant £15,000.00
4. Fairfield Trust. Approved Grant £10,000.00
5. Lottery Reaching Communities. Grant offer of £95,000.00 (towards construction)*
6. Current Hub funds (fundraising, donations and Buy A Brick) – £8,500.00

     Total secured fund of £415,255.00.

This leaves a total of £47,302.00 remaining to be secured through grant funding, the Village Appeal or a PC Public Works Loan.

Applications remaining in progress are:

1. Bernard Sunley Fund – £15,000. Awaiting decision March / April
2. Foyle Foundation – £10,000. Awaiting decision April /May
3. Norman Family Trust – £5,000. Awaiting decision March
4. Wessex Water Community Fund – £1,500. Awaiting decision March
5. Waitrose and Tesco funds (One stop declined) – £2,300. Applications submitted

Total – £33,800.00

*Note: the lottery offer also provides a separate fund of £18,000 for equipment and £3,080 towards start up revenue funding.

Additional Fundraising

• Village Appeal leaflet delivered to all village properties and a thermometer displayed on the village notice board, adjoining the play area, which will be updated as funds are secured.
• We also continue to hold fundraising events, which will include a variety of village based activities and the regular Hub Café.
• As current grant applications and funds from the Appeal cannot be guaranteed, our backup plan remains for the Parish Council to obtain a Public Works loan to cover the possible shortfall in grant funding. Amount reduced to max £50,000.00
• As a condition of the lottery grant we will need to confirm that all our funding is in place and consequently would request that the loan is secured in principle, with any income received from remaining grants and the Appeal, up to commencement of the project, being set against the loan to reduce the amount drawn down.

 Professional Fees

• Our fee schedule has been revised to update estimated fees where confirmed and to include an allowance for the preparation of the more complex head lease and sub lease arrangements. All pre contract professional fees currently remain within our cost allowance.

Quick Summary

• All planning details in hand, good progress on all aspects.
• Progress, is being made with the lease, although the legal side has been slower than anticipated.
•  Revised construction costs remain in line with previous estimates, after taking into account the cost of additional groundwork and services requirements for the playing
  field site.
• Funding position – we are delighted to add a £15,000 grant from the Garfield Weston
  Foundation and a recent personal donation of £2,000 from a member of the
  community. This gives us a current total secured funding of £310,255.
  • Fundraising activities continue with a full diary of events with terrific sustained
    enthusiasm from the team.
  • Grant applications made are still under consideration.
  • New initiatives to start imminently, including a Village Appealad
  • In order to provide certainty to secure all existing financial commitments we
    are considering requesting a loan to cover any shortfall and would like to
    explore all opportunities with the Parish Council.

Detailed Report

Planning Application

• Planning Application approved on 7th October 2019
• Conditions to be discharged before commencement of work on site in progress.

Construction Drawings / Specification

All drawings and specification complete. Currently waiting for quotations for Building Regulation application approval, including, application fee, inspection charges, energy
calculations and air permeability testing.

Bishops Hull Hub and Trust Sub-Group Update on Lease

• Somerset West & Taunton Council’s Solicitor’s Heads of Terms for head lease and draft head Lease received by  the Village Hall & Playing Field Trust, and sent to the Hub’s solicitor. The sub lease currently being prepared based on Head lease and draft sub lease Heads of Terms.
• The Lottery fund legal team have confirmed they are willing to accept the sub lease which is in progress.

Construction Costs and Programme.

• The revised tender received from R&J Sweet is £473,042.24, including 5% contingency and offering a saving of £16,510 with recommended changes to the specification, which we feel are acceptable. We have also identified a  further saving of £3,000, which can be made on the welfare fittings specification.
  The adjusted contract sum, (with savings) is £452,556.74, including 5% contingency.
• The additional cost, compared the previously estimated construction cost of £420,000, is due to the change in site from the church hall site to the playing field site, in particular the following:

1. Change from a level site to a sloping site which requires the levelling of the site, with approx.1M of additional blockwork at the lower end and compaction of filled ground to level the front apron area to the building.
2. Provision of a new footpath, with lighting, from the village road to the new site.(original site fronting onto church car park)
3. Additional drainage works, including sewer diversion. (original site served by existing drains to church hall)
4. New service connections from main road (original site had services in place to church hall)
5. Additional contract period and related costs due to more extensive drainage and site-works.
6. Additional security fencing due to more open site location and proximity to school.
7. The tender figure does not include the provision of the solar panels, which were not included in the previous tender. These can be fitted at a future date subject to future fundraising.
8. The tender does not include any allowance for any voluntary labour that may be forthcoming during the construction, which may reduce costs.
9. The revised tender details have been forwarded to the lottery officer, to check that they Do not require us to obtain two further tenders.
10. The possible construction programme agreed in principle with R&J Sweet is for the Hub project to start on site in May 2020 next year with completion in February 2021, subject
    to securing funding.

In addition to the construction costs we will have to fund the professional fees for the administration of the building contract, which have been quoted by our Architects as £10,000. This gives a total project cost of £462,556.74, rounded up to £462,557.00

Funding and Grant Applications

Current secured funding is now as follows

1. Section 106 fund – £236,755.00.
2. CIL fund £50,000.00
3. Garfield Weston Foundation. Approved Grant £15,000.00
4. Current Hub funds (fundraising, donations and Buy A Brick) – £8,500.00

Total secured fund of £310,255.00.

This leaves a total of £152,302.00 to be secured through grant funding, Hub activities and donations.
Applications in progress are:

1. National Lottery reaching communities fund – £75,000. First stage approved. Now in final stage and due for a decision in February. Note: Lottery will not release funds until all required funding is in place.
2. Bernard Sunley Fund – £15,000. Application acknowledged. Awaiting decision.
3. Gannett Foundation – £7,500. Application submitted. Awaiting decision.
4. Fairfield Trust £10,000. Application acknowledged. Awaiting decision.
5. Small grants (Waitrose, Tesco, One Stop)- £3,300. Applications submitted

Total – £110,800.00

The Following additional applications are currently being considered / prepared:

1. Foyle Foundation – £10,000 (estimate)
2. Norman Family Trust – £5,000 (estimate)
3. SC foundation, Somerset Fund – £1,500
4. Wessex Water Community Fund – £1,500
5. Dorothy Whitney Elmhirst Trust- £10,000 (estimate)

Total -£28,000.00
Summary of funding:

Remaining funding required – £152,302.00

Less grants awaiting response- £110,800.00

Less grant applications being prepared – £28,000.00

Current Shortfall £13,502.00

Additional Fundraising

To counter the current shortfall in grant funding we will be launching a Village Appeal and as we cannot guarantee that all our applications will be successful, based on recent experience, we intend to set a target of £60,000 to be raised by the appeal.

We will also continue to hold fundraising events, which will include a variety of village based activities and the regular Hub Café.

As all funds have to be secured in principle before we can claim any grants, including the potential lottery funding, we need to have a backup plan to cover any shortfall in funds, that we may have before the programmed start on site in May 2020. Assuming our lottery application is successful our proposal is to seek a government loan for any shortfall in remaining funds to be financed from the estimated surplus income, calculated from our estimate of Hub income and operating costs.
Professional Fees

Our fee schedule has been revised to update estimated fees where confirmed and to include an allowance for the preparation of the more complex head lease and sub lease arrangements. All pre-contract professional fees remain within our cost allowance. An invoice for the Architect’s fees for the completion of the construction drawings and specification has been forwarded to the Parish Council for payment.

If you have anyfurther questions, please get in touch.

email – bishopshullhub@gmail.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/BishopsHullHub/

or come to our next cafe

Planning has been granted

Over the past months and years, our wide team has put in a tremendous amount of work to progress this project to build a community hub in Bishops Hull. On the 7th October we achieved a significant mile stone in being granted planning permission from Somerset West and Taunton.

We would like to thank all those in or community who have supported our project to get us here, we wouldn’t have go this far without the support of everyone.

We still have great deal of work and fund raising to go, but planning permission opens up a lot of doors to grants and funds.

Summary of main conditions:

• Building opening hours – 8am-11pm Mon to Friday. 8am to 12am Sat, Sun and Bank holidays
• Landscape scheme to be submitted, approved and planted in first planting season after construction of footway
• Building shall not be used until the car park scheme is completed
• Programme of access for named archaeologist to be agreed in writing to observe and record all ground disturbance during construction
• Details of bollard lighting to be agreed

Please view the planning drawings below.

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Please see below for an update on our position with the church and the lease of it’s land. This is a joint statement from both the Church and ourselves. We are currently in the process of finding a new site for our centre and hope to bring you more news on this very soon so please keep checking our Facebook page for more info. We appreciate all your support and feedback so feel free to contact us on IM or email if you have any questions. We will also be hosting our usual Hub Cafe tomorrow 11th May, 10-12 in the church hall so there will be some of us there to answer questions you may have. Many thanks, The Bishops Hull Hub Team.

‘The Parochial Church Council (PCC) and Hub Trustees are sorry to announce that the scheme to build a new community centre on the site of the old church hall has had to be abandoned. It is very unfortunate but a conflict of legal requirements makes it impossible to devise a lease agreement satisfactory to all parties involved in the project. This is not due to a lack of goodwill and a great deal of effort has been spent trying to find a mutually acceptable solution. Therefore, the Hub Trustees are now moving on to look at another opportunity in the village with the blessing of the PCC and all church members.’

Charitable Status

We are very pleased to say that we have been granted charitable status by the Charity Commission. This opens many doors for use to raise the remaining fund for the project. Our Registered Charity Number is 1176851.

Planning Permission

We are pleased to announce that we have now applied for planning permission from Taunton Deane Parish Council and have finalised our plans for the facility. The plans for the submission can be seen at the bottom of this post. Our planning application submitted which can be viewed on the Taunton Deane Borough Council website with the reference 05/18/0008.

Fund Raising

We have progressed further with raising sufficient funds for the project with confirmation of further funds, including the allocation of some of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) fund from the Bishops Hull Parish Council. This takes us to approximately half way of our funding target.

Local Fund Raising Events

Hopefully you have seen our Easter Egg Hunt being advertised which will be held on the Bishops Hull Playing Field on the 30th March. More information on this post and on Facebook here

The Bishops Hull Hub project continues to make progress, thanks to the dedicated team of volunteers behind the project. The final plans and drawings have now been submitted to the Architects and we will be anticipating a response from planning in the early spring. The final modifications of the design have been adjusted, responding to the feedback received from the community, to create a more user friendly space, with large serving hatch into the main hall and foyer to create a social space that is welcoming. In order to meet the new specification, the build cost will have increased. The exact figure is in the process of being calculated and we will let you know once it has been established. It is anticipated the full market rate will be in the region of £550,000. Whilst this may initially seem a daunting figure we are taking a three pronged approach.

Firstly, we would like to utilise the resources within the village who are prepared to offer their services at cost or indeed some are offering free of charge. This means we could target the actual build cost with the help of the community at a figure closer to £400,000, saving us in the region of £150,000. This will need a commitment from many in the community but what an opportunity to contribute to the future of the village! We currently have £201,000 allocated to the project which is a combination of personal contributions from church members, personal initiatives (silent auction, afternoon tea party, sale of home made jams and a security marking event at the church hall), plus the Section 106 funds available from Persimmon Homes in respect of the Kingslake Development.

This leaves us with a fund raising target of approximately £200,000. To achieve this the team are breaking activities into two initiatives, local community fund raising events and applications for grants. The first local event we are planning to host is an open garden at Milligan to showcase the work completed so far, including the detailed plans, and create a social event with music, refreshments, craft stalls and more. Stay posted for more information about this on our website, facebook and village communication. We are welcoming any volunteers from the village (or beyond) to help us with these events we plan to host this year as local knowledge, contacts and enthusiasm is crucial for us to succeed. If you feel you might be interested or would be happy to help in some way please contact us via the details below. Our thanks go out to individuals who have contributed already with fundraising.
As part of our second initiative, we are in the process of applying for grants from a range of institutions. One company we are applying to is EDF who are constructing Hinkley Point C and we are hoping to secure a grant from their Community Cohesion Fund. As such, we need to demonstrate that Hinkley Point C construction and ongoing work will or does impact our village in some way. This can cover a range of impacts such as people commuting from Bishops Hull, either from a temporary base or a permanent home. If you know of anyone or are indeed one of those people, who has contacts with EDF, Hinkley point C and would be willing to give us any information regarding this please do get in contact. Other suggestions such as how a community hub could help new residents integrate into the community would strengthen our application and be more likely to secure funding.

Progress continues to be made with the Bishops Hull Hub project. We aim to submit our planning application by the end of the year and are currently in the process of putting our reports and information together. We have also submitted a planning application to retain the existing hall until it needs to be demolished to build the new facility.

To drive the project forward we are currently focusing on two main aspects;

1. Fundraising – we are looking for;

• Volunteers to organise village events
• Help with the administrative process of applying for grants
• Suggestions on sources of grants that may be available to us, especially through local connections.

2. Building a database of skilled trades people and suppliers who are prepared to offer their services at cost effective rates

The estimated target cost to complete the build is in the region of £400,000. This is based on our preferred approach of a local community build, utilising the skills, trade, contractors and suppliers available within Bishop’s Hull and immediately around. This will provide the village with a very cost effective solution.

So far, we have around £200,000 towards the project. Our thanks extend to the donations we have received so far from sources such as the Church, the parish council and other events such as the the Bishops Hull Christmas party on 2nd December, organised by John Hunt (please buy your tickets and attend if you can to help support us and other village causes!!).

Please do get in contact with us if you can help, if you have any ideas regarding fundraising or you would like to get involved. Please keep your eyes posted for events and fundraising opportunities to get involved with your new Hub.