Southport THI Surveys

Appointment of consultant to undertake building condition surveys and prepare costed feasibility studies for repair and restoration of properties for the Southport Townscape Heritage Project


1.0 Background

1.1 Sefton Council and its partners are submitting a Townscape Heritage (TH) application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. If approved, this will enable grant-aided repairs and reinstatement of architectural features to a number of historic properties located in Southport town centre including bringing vacant units back into sustainable use.

1.2 Sefton Council has worked closely with property owners during the development of the TH application and has proposed a target area for potential investment. Presently there are 41 sites that have been identified as possible candidates for investment. Geographically they are within 4 distinct cluster blocks.

1.3 If approved, the TH will help to fund external repairs and reinstatement works to the external building fabric – particularly shop fronts, roofs, external masonry, windows and chimneys and work required to bring the vacant buildings back into use. An important aim of the TH will be to accurately reinstate traditional original features where these have been lost, including shop fronts, timber windows and ornamental external features. The TH may also be used to help to fund the rehabilitation of vacant upper floor space into new residential accommodation.

2.0 Purpose and scope of the commission

2.1 This commission is to appoint a consultant to carry out building fabric condition surveys and to prepare costs for appropriate works for each of the 41 (high/medium/reserve) target properties (individual properties and blocks of properties) in order to inform a future strategy for the repair and restoration of these properties. The commission must be carried out by a conservation-accredited architect (RIBA CA / AABC) or chartered building surveyor (RICS Cons) with expertise and experience of buildings of the age and traditional construction methods that exist in Southport town centre.

2.2 The outputs are as follows:

• Initial start-up meeting with the client (the Council).

• Building fabric condition surveys of external elements (including brickwork, stonemasonry, roof, chimneys, rainwater goods, joinery and windows) to the 41 properties identified in Appendix 1. The report must include an itemised list of defects and annotated photographs. It is to exclude all mechanical and electrical installations and internal fabric (further guidance in Section 2.3 below). The condition survey must identify any potential structural issues and the Council’s own structural engineer will offer specialist advice to the consultant where necessary.

• Identify where it may be practical to reinstate missing original architectural features based on sound evidence of their original existence, for example sash windows, timber shop fronts, cast ironwork and other ornamentation.

• Identify appropriate conservation repair techniques in accordance with the published TH guidance notes on eligibility of the repair of historic buildings in Appendix 2.

• Identify issues affecting the fabric that should be addressed should TH funding be approved.

• Identify the potential for upper floor residential conversion. We do not require layout plans at this stage, only an assessment of the likely number of units and potential for self-contained access arrangements.

• Provide itemised budget costings to undertake the work identified in the fabric condition survey and architectural reinstatement works considered feasible. Include for all preliminaries, contingency and inflation uplift to 2020-21. This part of the commission must be undertaken by a QS with experience of historic buildings refurbishment appointed by the consultant.

• As part of this commission, the consultant will commission a commercial agent approved by the Client to provide two valuations for each property (current and after work has been completed) to calculate the conservation deficits in accordance with Heritage Lottery Fund guidance for Townscape Heritage Initiatives. This information will remain confidential and be for the Client’s use only.

• Compile draft and final reports to client.

2.3 We do not require the survey and feasibility study to include the following items as
these would not normally be eligible for Townscape Heritage funding, or would be carried during future detailed project development:

• Internal fabric survey, although any internal items arising directly as a result of external works should be quantified, e.g. internal plastering and decoration following the reinstatement of traditional sliding sash windows or roof repairs.

• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing services.

• Invasive opening-up works, access to concealed areas e.g. internal roof spaces.

2.4 The survey report should be presented in electronic format including supporting
photographic evidence for findings and include the following chapters:

• Introduction.
• Inspection methodology.

Then for each property or block of properties in Appendix 1:

• Overview of the building’s construction:
• Description of condition of the existing external fabric, identifying causes of any problems / defects.
• Recommendations – including any priority works necessary to safeguard the fabric.
• General appraisal of upper floor conversion to residential units.
• Itemised cost estimates of the fabric repair, restoration and conversion works identified.
• Identification of conservation deficit, through existing property valuation and proposed valuation when works are complete.
3.0 Access to the buildings during quotation period

3.1 All the properties in Appendix 1 are privately owned (not owned by Sefton Council). The majority of front and rear elevations are visible from the street or back alleyways. All property owners have, as far as possible, been briefed that this work is being commissioned, but should bidders require additional access during the quotation period, e.g. interior access, setting up of ladders etc., they are to first contact the client who will arrange as necessary.

4.0 Timescale

4.1 Sefton Council require this commission to be completed by 4th January 2019. Bidders are to put forward their timetable and programme to complete this work (including target date for submission of first draft) with the final report completed within this timeframe.

5.0 Risk assessment

5.1 In their submissions, bidders should prepare an assessment and management of risks prior to undertaking the work set out in the commission. Please note that no opening-up works are required at this stage.