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Decision details
Additional funding to support the development of Ambition Lawrence Weston new community hub
Decision Maker: Executive Director: Growth and Regeneration
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
On 25 February 2021 cabinet approved the
following, towards the development of a new community hub in
Ambition Lawrence Weston:
- Grant a new 35-year Community Asset lease to Ambition Lawrence
Weston, with no capital receipt or rental income due to the
Council.
- £1.15m (£1m from Community Infrastructure Levy
allocation and £150k from the Port Communities Resilience
Fund), as a contribution towards the development costs of the new
community hub.
- £1,201,000 total Bristol City Council funding to support
Ambition Lawrence Weston`s project including additional £51k
from the enabling budget agreed by the Housing Delivery team.
In additional to the Council funding, Ambition Lawrence Weston also
secured funding from Reaching Communities (part of the National
Lottery) and direct funding from Ambition Lawrence Weston.
Recently Ambition Lawrence Weston has approached the Council with a
request for additional funding to complete the construction of the
new community Centre building.
Ambition Lawrence Weston advised the Council that due to change in
economy, their original funding envelope has been exhausted, as a
result of increase in inflation and material costs. Although value
engineering carried out twice, but there are still a fairly large
funding deficit to complete the scheme.
A failure to secure the additional funding quickly is going to lead
to the contractor failing to place final orders for materials and
delay, and additional cost;
- Ambition Lawrence Weston have raised significant funding
themselves £200k and have also approached other funders for
inflationary uplifts and have been successful with an additional
£100k from the National Lottery;
- The new community centre is well developed and nearing
completion, works are expected to complete by the end of October
2024.
Decision:
It has been agreed by the Executive Director
Growth and Regeneration John Smith and the Council Leader
Councillor Tony Dyer to provide Ambition Lawrence Weston with the
additional funding £241,090 (two hundreds, forty-one thousand
and ninety pounds) from the Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy
(SCIL) to support the completion of the new Community Centre
building in Lawrence Weston.
Alternative options considered:
Option 1 - Ambition Lawrence Weston have
discussed options including pausing the works at a suitable point
and securing the site. However, we believe this will pose a number
of risks, particular security as the building will not be
‘practically complete’ enough to allow
occupation.
Publication date: 25/07/2024
Date of decision: 24/07/2024