Newbridge

Professional context Project report

Arc322

Teagan O Donoghue – Practice type and Organisation B00806864 Cara Conlon – Client and Brief/Design and Development B00806518 AimeeContents Beattie- Statutory Submission page B00822745 Section 1 Michael MahoodContract administration including Tendering/Conclusion Teagan o Donoghue and Recommendations Practice type and organisation pg3-8

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Contents page Section 1 Teagan o Donoghue Practice Type and Organisation

pg3-8

Section 2 Cara Conlon Client and Brief/Design and Development

pg9-15

Section3 Aimee Beattie Statutory Authority Submissions

pg16-21

Section 4 and 5 Michael Mahood Contract Administration including Tendering

pg22-24

Conclusion and Recommendations

pg24-26

References Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5

pg 27 pg 27 pg 28 pg 28 pg 29

Appendices A - Meeting Minutes B- Proposal of Application Notice C- Proposal of Application Notice Approval D- Neighbour Notification E- Planning Certificate for Newbridge

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pg 30 pg 31 pg 34 pg 35 pg 39

Section 1 – Practice type and Organisation Teagan O Donoghue History of HLM HLM Architects were founded in 1964 when students David Hutchison, Graham Locke, and Tony Monk (HLM) won a design competition for the new Paisley Civic Centre in 1963. (HLM, 2022)

The Paisley project was the second-largest public-sector project since World War two, and this landmark public structure served as the cornerstone for our social design concept. HLM architects has since established a reputation for design quality and enterprise throughout their main industries, with a focus on addressing their clients' problems while also being aware of the influence that design can have on people, communication, and society.(HLM about,2022) Where is HLM located HLM architects is a London-based architecture firm with offices in Sheffield, Cardiff, Glasgow, Dublin, and Belfast. There are 180 employees working between the offices, both regional and national, offering a wide range of perspectives to every aspect of the company. HLM collaborates and shares new ideas and best practises across all the studios through open and honest communication and building strong partnerships with colleagues and clients. I'll be concentrating on the Belfast studio, which is in the linen quarter and has been operating since 2000. The Belfast studio employs 12 individuals, including Architect Felix Gibson, who will aid this group in gathering information on the company and the range of projects: "A key focus of ours is to bring out the best in our team and to lead on some of the most exciting design projects in Northern Ireland as well as nationally and internationally." – Simon Bell, HLM Architects(Belfast,telegraph,2017)

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One Team Culture HLM has its own "one team culture" which is essentially the ability for them to collaborate over all the different sectors and work on projects that suit their strong points, this is based on the "three pillars" that are the foundation of their vision and mission. “Our customers, our employees, and our work are at the heart of us (HLM About,2022). “These pillars are ubiquitous in our approach and shape our values and culture”.(HLM Culture, 2022)Their clients are supporters of their company as they strive to instil their vision and goals. They present ideas and design suggestions for creating the best solution for their clients. “It enables you to achieve goals and possibilities that you may not have thought you could achieve” (HLM About 2022).

“We foster and nurture our people through our Academy creating a bright future within a bright working environment. Our work embodies design quality; we continually seek to improve and expand on our design product continually testing new initiatives within a responsive design culture.” – Nicola McKay, HLM Architects (Irish trade, 2021) Their nurturing culture encourages thoughtfulness and creativity and surround everyone with the right mix of resources and a working environment to energise and inspire. They are regularly collaborating with other local companies and enjoy getting out and participating in local events- be it cultural, creative, musical, social, or even the odd sporting event A successful design Their approach to successful design is the ‘thoughtful design toolkit’,{HLM About,2021) it seeks to address the challenge of ensuring that the vision and ambition of the project is met and delivered, from briefing to completion by using data enabled processes throughout the life of the project. There are three parts – Insight which is in relation to RIBA 0-2 , The Health check, RIBA 2-4, Impact, RIBA 7. Each of these tools are used to 4|Page

understand what people want and need from the built environment. They enable designers to work in assurance that their proposals will deliver what building users demand and that they help clients make better informed decisions about targeting their investment in facilities (HLM,2022).

The main four sectors that HLM focus on are Education, Health care, Housing and Commercial (Gibson, 2022). HLM come full circle in their approach to modern day architecture by designing the educational facilities that will inspire expansion of the healthcare sector, leading to more job opportunities in the cities in which they operate, and supplying the infrastructure required for this social expansion. It is this sense of social purpose that drives HLM on and is at the heart of everything they do. The firm covers right from the architecture to interior architecture, landscape architecture, master planning and environmental sustainability. HLM don’t have a signature style, every design evolves as a solution to a unique set of challenges that they approach with ‘signature thinking’. This is a creative, thoughtful, and fun process that allows the character and ideas of each project to flourish in their own delightful way - they call this a ‘thoughtful design’. (HLM About,2022) Employee stock ownership plan A unique thing about HLM is that it is an employeeowned firm, which means that no single individual owns the company; rather, the company's assets are distributed among employees through shares. This could be a beneficial thing, since employee stock ownerships (ESOPs) experience improved productivity, profitability, and revenue. These achievements tend to be maintained over time, since staff drive remains high as long as they are concerned about the company's general health (Gibson,2022) The Newbridge integrated college The Newbridge Integrated College project is the project that Felix is currently working on. HLM won the contract for the new Newbridge integrated college on the 15th of March 2022 based of their previous experience and quality of work in building alike, they are to complete the detailed design and delivery. The College development is located between Newry and Banbridge. The development will replace the existing Newbridge Integrated College to make way for a new 10,000 sq metre school building and sports hall equipped for 800 pupils. It will be built by Ganson UK on the site of the existing school and an adjacent field under a phased demolition

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programme that will allow the school to remain operational throughout. (e architect, 2022) Design and build

Riba plan of work 0 1 AECOM 2 3 The project has been designed to RIBA Stage 3 by AECOM and HLM will continue the rest of the design and construction to complete this build. It is already on track to achieve a BREEAM excellent rating. Construction is due to commence in Summer 2022.

4 5 6 7

HLM

Design and build procurement Is a term that is used to describe a procurement route in which the main contractor is appointed to design and construct the works, as opposed to a traditional contract, where the client appoints consults to design the contractor is appointed to construct the works. The reason that this procurement was chosen over the traditional method is due to the various benefits such as the time frame, this is always at the top of the clients and main contractors minds, as seen in the diagram above the D and B route is 33 percent faster. Project cost saving is another benefit as it allows the cost to be agreed on at the beginning, mitigated risk to the client, every project carries a risk however a advantage of D and Bis that the consultant and contractor are tied into a singular contract and because of this it makes them work together through the project to minimise errors and rework as such a large amount of risk is associated is carried by them

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Riba plan of work 2020

Strategic definition

-

Preparation and brief

-

Concept design

-

Spatial coordination

-

Technical design

-

Manufacturing and Construction

• • • • • •

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Considering sustainability, living comfort, budget limitations, local planning policy and site context Establish a project programme, the time frame Project objectives Sustainability strategy Pre app planning discussion, this increases the chances of the support from the local authority in stage 3 This is the stage the clients get a first visual of the design idea development from the project brief.

There are usually meetings quite frequently around this stage just so architects are able to achieve exactly what the client wants (structural design and building services specifications) The project is drawn up more clearly on cad and developed alongside structural design, building services and cost exercise Planning consent can vary but usually happens at the end stage 3 Cost information is usually finalised at the end of stage 3 Preparing the necessary drawings and documentation for tendering. It often involves approaching relevant subcontractors The stage the tender process occurs is usually then end of stage 4 The architect services, to submit for tendering Detailed drawings Schedule of work Specifications Submission of building regulations The design is considered as completer at the start of the construction stage The architect is on hand to deal with any design queries the architect takes on the role of a contact administrator when required they will Postpone work Correct any defects

•

Request inspection or testing

Handover

-

Ensuring the building functions properly Schedule of defects Ensure work complies with drawings, specification, and contract documents

In Use

-

Aftercare service this includes maintenance, energy certificates or consumption, Letting or tenants’ queries and general management of facilities.

To ensure optimal performance Advising the client on how to best use the building in accordance with the sustainability strategy.

-

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Section 2 – Client and Brief/Design and Devlopment Cara Conlon

Clients In the world of architecture, clients play a key role in the process of construction projects. In the development of any project, the client is the one who forms the brief which will include the main aspects of the design that they want. They are there to make decisions that will affect the planning of it (Ltd, 2022). They will first need to appoint an architect that they wish to work alongside with, that will be able to achieve their vision. In this case, HLM Architects had won the contract in a competition that was held to complete the detailed design and delivery of the college development in Loughbrickland for Ganson UK Ltd. The Project that our architect is discussing with us is the New-Bridge Integrated College which is situated between Newry and Banbridge with a capacity of 800 students/staff. This project is a design and build project meaning that there has already been an initial design done by another architecture firm (AECOM Architecture). This architecture firm has already designed the project to RIBA Stage 3 and BIM Level 2 and has gotten client sign off up to this point. In most other projects, there may only be one client, however, in this project, the architect will be partnered with the contractor therefore, the architect needs to do everything aligned with what the contractor wants. From this, it means that the architect basically has two clients, number one being the Education Authority and number two being the main contractor who is paying the architect, this being Ganson UK Ltd.

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The Education Authority is a regional body that has the responsibility to deliver education and youth services to the public. They are here to help with all aspects of a child’s journey through education, this includes admission to pre-school right through to post-primary school. They are a non-departmental public body who is sponsored by the Department of Education (DE). The Education Authority has then become the funding authority for voluntary grammar and grant-maintained integrated schools such as the New-Bridge College making them one of the clients for this project. (NI, 2020)

Within HLM Architects, Felix explained that the clients are not really involved, however, it does depend on the projects. They will get less or more involved at different stages. The architect is encouraged to get a sign off from the client at each stage of the RIBA Plan of Work.

For example, for an average project that may last for a year in the design phase, the architect should be looking to get a sign off from the client at each stage and they will be able to hold this as a record. It is important that during this, the architect is encouraged to keep the client involved in the stuff they want them to be involved in.

If the architect is making a key design decision, they will need to present this to the client. The design decisions will be done each week in a meeting with the architects, engineers and everyone who's involved in the design of the project but not the client. However, once a month the architect would have a client progress meeting where all the consultants gather up all the information and present the progression of the work to the client. This gives the architect an opportunity to agree on any special one-off presentations that are made.

‘It is our mission to delight as well as satisfy our clients and that often means going beyond the brief, being innovative, and thinking about people’s emotional response to the built environment.’ – HLM Architects (Architect, 2022) A good design comes from an up-to-date client who can communicate their needs to the design team which includes the architect. At the start of the project, you want to make the communication planned and organisational, meaning arranging dates for meetings ahead of time. The communication will remain constant throughout the entire project, mainly at each stage. In 10 | P a g e

many cases the architect is the line of communication between the client and the contractor.

Felix had mentioned that clients love a feature, an example would be a feature staircase. Within these progress meetings the architect might discuss to the client the different designs of the staircases. They will also ask the client if they would like to schedule a workshop where they can present their thoughts on the feature staircase to the client.

In short term, the clients do not need to be very involved within it, however it is important that they are kept in the loop and that they know what to expect and that the architect is not going to show them something that they haven't seen before. By involving them throughout the project, the architect can ask the client if they have any comments. The key thing is that the architect must get everything recorded. Minutes are crucial because they are a record of what has been said in the meeting. With the New-Bridge client, HLM Architects have made sure to involve them at each stage of the project, this it to update them and to get a sign off at each stage.

‘We know that good buildings and spaces need good clients as well as good designers. We love to talk about our client’s ambitions, to identify the hidden challenges, and get to the emotional intelligence behind a brief. We augment this approach with digital engagement techniques that help us define the needs of building users. This ensures that the resultant design solutions can evolve in a sustainable way that supports health and wellbeing.’ – HLM Architects (Architect, 2022)

Brief Development Within architecture, a brief is an important part of the design process of any building. When speaking to Felix, he explained how a brief is developed and how it is used within a project. A brief is a report of the client’s idea of what they want constructed. The designer and the architect will take this idea and turn it into a reality in accordance with the current regulations and legislation.

The brief forms the beginning of any new project. From this, the brief is then

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turned into a sketch design and then eventually into a final design.

(Archisoup, n/d) Briefs are very important in any project and having a thorough report on the client’s needs will not only benefit the architect and designer but also anyone who is involved in the design process team. It is important that the client gives as much detail and information as possible in the early stages of the design as this will give the architect and the designer a better chance in their decision making and problem-solving process.

Within the RIBA stages, the brief sits at the first two stages: • Stage 0 – Strategic Definition = the project is well defined before a detailed brief is created.

• Stage 1 – Preparation and Brief = develop the initial project brief, review site information and sustainability checkpoints. (London, 2018)

Types of design briefs There are two types of briefs: • Strategic brief • Project brief A Strategic Brief is developed to discuss the objectives of the project which are based off the client’s needs. (Grub, 2018) A Project Brief begins whenever the strategic brief has established the preferred procurement route. This brief is used to confirm the strategic brief.

Within this brief, the main aims are to understand the building and the cost implications, to test the reality of the client / user expectations and to present the needs in the terminology of construction with goals and measures.

(Asana, 2020) (PowerPoint, 2022) The two types that Felix talked about was a private/domestic client and a commercial client. The private/domestic client could normally be someone that has never hired an architect and designer before, leading to them not having a lot of experience in the design and construction process. Whereas the commercial would generally have more of an experience in this department and would have very different priorities to a private or domestic client.

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As the project of the New-Bridge Intergraded College has already been designed to a certain stage, HLM Architects did not have the same brief development as the school because they already had a design, but the one thing that was lacking in the project was that there was no interior design.

The arrangement of the spaces such classrooms, toilets and breakrooms were already set but they had not chosen or looked at any flooring, ceiling or colour finishes, etc. The other architecture firm (AECOM Architecture) had not engaged with the client in these terms.

As the client is the Education Authority and they design schools all the time, they have already a set brief. They provide a handbook that sets out all the brief requirements for all the different spaces, including the size of the rooms, the furniture, how many people it must accommodate, rooms that they want adjacent to the other rooms, etc.

Because they build schools across the country, they have strict brief requirements set out for the architects.

If this was a different project or it was a private or independent school, the architects would then need to develop the brief with the client.

From this, HLM Architects then had to develop the brief with the client. This is formed by them coming up with a strategy on things such as what colours are wanted, and this helps identify where they are with the building. They will use the handbook provided by the Education Authority. For the project of the New-Bridge Integrated College, the architects will use the handbook: Section 4 - secondary schools. This handbook comprises of 25 parts which can include staffrooms, library, multipurpose halls, the site itself, and many more.

They have used diagrams, charts and sample boards on types of finishes. And this will be presented to the client which will result in getting feedback (EA, 2003).

When it comes to developing a brief, the architect will meet up with the client. They will chat with them about what they think they want to produce and then based on the architect’s experience on different projects or the way that they do things, they can chat to the client about what they think will be useful to them or better. They will be able to help dive into the details.

These meetings will be set across the first four or five months of the project in the design brief stage. The main thing is engaging with the client and chatting to them and to get a sign off on each of the stages.

Again, it is very important that the architect gets a signoff from the client. The architects will send over the minutes after the meeting (Appendix B) and will state that they have presented this idea and that the client has said whether they like it or not. These minutes are used as a record and this is if in six months’ time the client comes back and changes their mind of the colour, they can change it, however, it will cost them because they had previously agreed to another, and it will be the architect / designer that will have to redo the work which costs them more time to re draw the design.

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The minutes are used to track any changes in the event that at the end, the client comes and says that the architect has cost them money for this, but by having the recordings, the architect can turn back and say that the client had cost them money on all the changes they have made, thus the minutes are there to ensure that the architect gets paid for everything that they do and that they don't lose money on anything. (Info, n/d) Time frame for the brief When it comes to the time frame of the project, the best way to show a client this would be using a Gantt chart in the form of a progress report (Monograph, 2019-2022). This chart helps the project team to plan their work around deadlines. It is best used to determine how long each stage will take and will also help determine the resources needed and to plan the order in which the team will complete each task. In this project, the chart will advise the client and end user on how long it will take to complete. This progress report will be sent to them at least twice a week to once a month with up-todate schedules. The report will comprise of what work has been done, what meetings have been made, what drawings have been created and what work will be done in the next upcoming weeks.

(Monograph, n/d) Budgeting With this project it was a little different as the budget was already known at the start, however in other projects the architect would ask the client what sort of budget they are working with, and the architect would advise them on whether this is realistic or not, depending on what the project is. Within the project team, it would be the Quantity Surveyor that deals with the financial part of the project. In terms of any budgeting at each stage, the Quantity Surveyor will always be a part of this discussion to advise the best route. What generally happens is once the brief is done, at each stage milestone the Quantity Surveyor should develop a draft cost plan so at the end of the 14 | P a g e

different RIBA stages the QS will present back to the client if they are within the budget or if not. (UCAS, 2022) Throughout report (interview with Felix)- (Gibson, 2022)

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Section 3 – Statutory Authority Submissions Aimee Beattie Statutory Authority submissions ensure the compliance of building construction and alteration to a set of outlined standards, to ensure safe development that is appropriate for its surroundings. The New-Bridge Integrated College development in Loughbrickland, Northern Ireland, required approval from the appropriate governing bodies in the form of planning permission and building regulation approval. Planning departments are concerned with how well a proposed project may fit into its surroundings; whereas building regulation applications ensure the quality and compliance of a build to construction standards.

Pre-Application Planning Advice Planning Application Submitted Planning Application approved Building regulation Application submitted Permission to begin onsite works Building Officer inspections at key stages Certificate of completeion issued

Flowchart overview of Statutory Submissions process When an architect is involved with a project they are normally responsible for both planning and building regulation application, however in the case of New-Bridge they were carried out by AECOM and HLM respectively, due to the involvement of two architects. Within this process the architect is referred 16 | P a g e

to as ‘the agent’ and the New-Bridge board of governors are regarded as ‘the applicant’. These submissions are also highlighted in the RIBA plan of work 2020, giving guidance on when to prepare for and submit the applications.

RIBA Stage of work

0 1 AECOM

HLM Architects

2

Pre-application planning advice

3

Planning application submitted

4

Building regulation application submitted and precommencement conditions discharged

5 6

Compliance with conditions

7 Statutory submissions in relation to RIBA stages The first thing the project needed to obtain was planning permission, a process used to control land use that is concerned with the overall development of an area.

Deciding where housing, schools, energy plants, shopping centres and more go, planning decisions made can have a massive influence on the character and feel of an area. The oversight of this is a shared responsibility between the 11 councils of NI and the Department of infrastructure (DOI). The local council bears the responsibility of enforcement, managing development and creating a plan for that area, this is overseen by the DOI who also manages regional development, significant plans and legislation (Department for infrastructure, n.d.).

Obtained from the local council, planning permission decisions are made in accordance to a Local Development Plan (LDP). “The plan includes maps and written policies, which show where and in what quantity the council will allow development” (NI Direct, n.d.).

In this case Permission was obtained from Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon council (ABC Council). After the transfer of Local Councils in 2015, new LDPs were to

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be produced. Initially estimated to be finished within three and a half years the creation of these plans follows a local Development Plan Timetable (Turley, 2019) which is regulated in The Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015. The LDP timetable for ABC Council is outlined over 15 years and aims to output a plan that promotes growth, sustainable development and makes a commitment to Community Involvement which dictates ongoing community consultation to be a of pivotal importance to their ethos. (Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough council, 2015). This is outlined using a Statement of community involvement and regulated by The Planning (Statement of Community Involvement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.

For New-Bridge, the planning application process was carried out by AECOM who had produced the initial design concept. When interviewing HLM architect Felix Gibson, we discovered that for government projects in NI one party will normally handle the initial concepts and planning application before the project is passed on to a second party to complete the final designs and building regulation application.

Being a major development, twelve weeks before submission of the formal application a Proposal of Application Notice [ Appendix B] was necessary.

Submitted 5/9/19, this notice contains the plan of community consultation; in this case being carried out through two open house events in Loughbrickland Gate Lodge and a public display accompanied by feedback forms taking place in the current school building. Approved 30/9/19, ABC Council found this to be sufficient in compliance with section 27 of the Planning Act NI (2011), and notification of such is delivered via letter (Appendix C]. This section also states that these events must be published in a minimum of one local newspaper, which was completed through the Banbridge Chronicle and Banbridge Leader in October 2019. Applications can also be viewed and commented on using the NI planning portal, further encouraging community engagement. Neighbouring occupants also receive letters as to notification of works (appendix D) A formal proposal for the school was submitted in February 2020 (New-Bridge Integrated College, 2020), however the architects were in contact with a local planning officer for informal conversations (pre-application advice) before submitting this. Architects will phone up the planning department with an idea of the general scope of the project for an estimate as to whether it may be possible, and in some cases also continue to contact the planning officer for further advice to increase the chance of success.

Seeking full planning permission, AECOM submitted the planning form and fee along with annotated plans, drawings and surveys to be processed by the planning officer.

The officer makes their decision based on the envisioned area development and a range of specialist advice procured by communication with a range of agencies outlined below:

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Body Consulted

NI Water

Guidance given Strategic guidance on waste management and water supply.

Indication of nearby water systems to serve proposal.

DFI Roads

Ensuring continued ease of access for neighbouring residents.

Appointing road use in relation to drop off point.

Making sure the proposed access plan is safe, including ball stoppers.

Rivers agency

Advice in relation to maintenance and preservation of watercourses on site.

Instruction for creation of a drainage report.

NI Environmental Agency

Historic Environment Division

Ensuring minimal environmental impact, informing the applicant of protected wildlife and informing the applicant of when environmental work may take place.

Gives guidance on protecting sites of historical importance, in this case advising on archaeological works to be carried out preconstruction due to the nearby chambered grave.

After consultation completion, the planning officer is then able to make an informed decision as to the rejection or approval. If permission is granted it may come with a series of conditions which construction must follow. Most contain a condition as to how long the certificate is valid and one which states that work must be carried out in accordance to any presented drawings. These conditions exist to enhance development and mitigate adverse effects, they are specific to each project. The National Planning Policy Framework states that they should be kept to a minimum and must pass the following tests (GOV.UK, 2019): 1. Necessary; 2. Relevant to planning; 3. Relevant to the development to be permitted; 4. Enforceable; 5. Precise; and 6. Reasonable in all other respects.

New-Bridge Integrated College received its planning certificate in November 2019 (Appendix E) accompanied by a set of conditions. Noise levels were controlled by a condition that specified when work could take place. Actions in the event of the

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discovery of a protected species, such as a badger, were also outlined. The NewBridge project required archaeological conditions in which trenches were to be dug and an in-depth report produced before any construction took place on site, as a chamber burial site lay locally. This is known as a pre-commencement condition and was discharged in October 2021 when ABC Council was satisfied the condition had been met.

Although it has not been necessary such far for our case study, some projects require non-material amendments, where minor changes to a scheme may be approved without the need to obtain new planning permission. What is defined as a minor change however is not clearly defined and instead are subject to the opinion of the planning officer.

Pre-application advice procured

Planning application approved 19/11/20

PAN approved.

30/9/19

Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) Submitted 5/9/19

Planning application submitted by AECOM 18/2/20

Precommencement conditions discharged 10/21

Timeline summary of Planning Permission Process for New-Bridge Integrated College

Secondly, any project must secure Building Regulation Approval before any works can take place on site. Enforced by the local council, Building Regulations (NI) 2012 set standards for access, safety and conservation, the standards are reasonably obtained and consider the health and welfare of occupants. By this stage the project had been passed onto HLM Architects (who then became the agent) to create the necessary drawings and to communicate with the building control officer.

There are three types of building regulations approval: Full Plans – The most common type and the one to be used for New-Bridge.

Building notice Application – For minor domestic works.

Regularisation – For retrospective approval of work that has already been carried out.

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Before construction begins, a full set of technical drawings must be submitted, along with the appropriate fee. The fee is set on a £/m2 basis and varies according to the building typology and is paid in two parts, the plan fee and inspection fee. The fully detailed drawings should include maps, construction drawings, plans and details and are normally produced by the architect. The architect may work with structural engineers, or in the case of HLM within house architectural technologists who specialise in detailing. The creation of these drawings may be aided by the technical booklets produced by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Designed to support the building regulations, the booklets - labelled Part A-V outline work deemed to satisfy regarding fire safety, ventilation and stairs among others. It is important to note however that usage of these booklets are not mandatory.

The drawings are inspected upon submission by a building control officer who makes sure that they reach the standards specified in building regulations. If rejected a notice is served with an accompanying list of issues raised by the inspection, after which new drawings must be submitted. Alternatively, an approval notice may be served, wherein work may begin onsite after notification of the council.

Currently, the school has not yet begun onsite works, but upon their commencement the building control officer carries out onsite inspection at key points of construction. They must be notified of these stages by the builder or agent so they can confirm the building is being done to the drawing specifications. At present some of the key inspection points given by ABC Council are starting of work, pouring foundations, before covering of walls or at the finishing of works (Armagh City, Bandbridge & Craigavon Bourough Council, n.d.). However, additional inspections may be carried out as deemed necessary. If all works are completed to satisfy standards the officer issues a certificate of completion.

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Section 4 – Contact Admission Including Tendering Michael Mahood The Newbridge Integrated College was a design and build contract instead of being a traditional design, bid build contract. A traditional design, bid build contract is when a client will approach an architect to design their project, the architect will work with the client to design the project. Once this has been completed the project will then be put out to tender to find a contractor, once a contractor has been successful in winning the tender, they will then start building the project that the architect has designed. This project involved two different architect firms and a contractor. The first architecture firm did the initial design groundwork which included, the general shape of the building, organisation of rooms, placement of utilities and roof design. Once they had completed the initial design of the building HLM architects took over the project to finish off the project, this would have included floor and wall finishes, toilets finishes and specific plant requirements. (Turner, 2022) HLM partnered up with the contractor to submit a bid to take over the project, which makes this a design and build project. In most design and build contracts this will be beneficial to the client as they would only have to deal with one person throughout the entire project, as the architect would be able to communicate to the contractor on behalf of the client which puts the client under less stress as they don’t have to bounce between various parties that are involved in the process. However, in the case of the Newbridge Integrated college project the client (The Education Authority) had to deal with two architecture firms, this was beneficial for the outcome of the project. Felix informed us that although the first architecture firm passed the project on to HLM architects, they were kept in the loop with the project to help HLM to stay within the original brief that was set at the beginning of the project. HLM were able to use the previous architects if they had any questions about the design and approach them about any changes they may need to happen. Having two architecture firms involved in the project was a major component in the success of this project as the design had two different firms’ perspectives involved to ensure the design decisions were made correctly.

There are different types of contracts that could have been used on a project like this, some examples of these contracts are: a fixed price contract which is usually used when a project has a well-defined specification and when the market has enough competition to obtain a fair price for completing the work. There is another type of contract which is called a time and materials contract, this is used when the labour, materials and effort involved in a project cannot be determined at the time when the contract is awarded. The client (buyer) will pay the contractor (seller) for how much labour and materials were used for the project; this is generally used for smaller projects. A cost reimbursable contract is a type of contract that is used when the work and cost of a project can not be accurately estimated before a project begins, a conservation project would be a good example of a project that would use a cost reimbursable contract. This type of contract will put the most risk on to the client as they may not have enough money to finish the project and could be left with unfinished work as the contractor can not be paid.

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edition PMP, 2022)

(Session 19 4th

The brief for the Newbridge Integrated College Project was strict and not many changes were allowed to be made to the project, this was due to the client being the Education Authority. The requirements for all of the projects from the education authority will be the same from school to school as these projects have to meet strict guidelines and legislations for the school to meet the needs for the pupils and staff who will be the end users of the project. As the specification for schools that the Education Authority commission will be very similar, they will know roughly how much it should cost and how long it should take for the projects to be completed. Due to the specifications being very well detailed and the client having a good understanding of similar projects this project used a Fixed Price contract, this also suited the project as not many major changes often occur In projects like these and it also meant that the Education Authority carried the least risk which is often their preference as they have strict budgets that are government funded for these types of projects.

As the Newbridge Integrated Project used a separate architect to complete the initial design work and then HLM architects to complete the project, the typical design then put out for tender to a contractor was changed to fit this project. The Education Authority uses a framework such as the Dynamic Shortlisting system to put their projects out for tender. This System is used to tender projects that are budgeted from £30,000 to the maximum EU procurement threshold in the public sector, this system is used to help manage the number of tender offers that would come from thousands of contractors. The Dynamic shortlisting system was put in place so that public works are completed by architects and contractors that are competent in the skills required and resources required for large public sector jobs. Both architects and contractors have to apply to be added to the dynamic shortlisting system, when applying they will have to provide proof of experience, quality of work and resources that they have. There is a team at CPD that handles these requests to ensure that the architects and contractors meet their criteria, this results in works being completed to a higher standard and for a fair price. Once

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architects and contractors have applied and been accepted into the system, they are then put into ranking categories based upon quality, experience and resources, this allows CPD to create lists of people who are able to complete various jobs that will range in size and complexity. When a project is ready to go out for tender the system will only notify the architects and contractors who meet the quality, experience and resources criteria for that project, this enables the architects and contractors to submit a fair price and not worry about architects and contractors who do not meet the criteria under cutting their price and not completing the work correctly. The quality of work is always checked, and clients are asked to complete extensive feedback forms to check that the contractors and architects are competent in their category of works. HLM were notified of this opportunity as they met the quality and experience criteria because they have previously completed projects for schools. For the Newbridge Integrated College project, the Education Authority did not choose the tender submission that was lowest in price but instead that with the highest quality. (Construction Procurement Delivery, 2022) The project used a NEC (New Engineering Contract) to help all parties involved in the project to be clear on all activities to limit any disputes in administration or how works were carried out. The NEC contracts sets out the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in the project, it does this using a clear and extensive set of documents, these documents consist of a form of agreement, this a document that says that all parties involved are willing to enter a contract together and that they will follow the regulations that are set out in the agreed statement of works. A Contract of conditions that sets out the relationship between all parties and how they must interact with each other and the allocation of risk and price for everyone involved. Contract Data which is identifying all information from reports about how the works are to be carried out for the project. A bill of quantities which will outline in detail the quantity and cost of materials that will be used on the project. A statement of work which will identify everything involved in completing the project and all requirements for the project to be finished. Site information on layouts of the project’s site and all information needed to work on the site. An NEC contract sets out clauses to ensure everybody is covered, the clauses are as follows: A general terms of agreement, the responsibility of the contractor, defect and testing, time, payment rules, scenario and terms of compensation, title, risks and policies of insurance and termination. (The Constructor, 2022)

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Section 5 – Conclusions and Recommendations Michael Mahood

Summary of previous sections HLM architects is a UK based architecture practice that has practices in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. HLM Architects have a large and complex set of employees that contribute towards creating award winning designs, they do this by collaborating with other companies, for example: Reds10. Collaborating with other companies enables the company to take on large scale projects in several different sectors while still maintaining a very personal experience with clients, this is one of the factors that I believe directly contributes to the success of their projects. They are able to maintain a personal touch within all projects due to successful delegation to employees that are trained in various types of architecture, all these departments within HLM work together to cover what the client needs and create designs that are functional, imperative to successful societal aims. HLM’s various types of architects that include landscape architects, interior architects etc. allows them to be able to relay questions and ideas to each other. Having an employee that specialises is a reason for HLM’s success as there isn’t a weakness in skills that could lead to poorly designed sections of a project.

HLM architects communicate with clients at each stage of the RIBA plan of work and each stage is signed off, this is an important method used to achieve all the client’s needs and wants. HLM architects believe that there is a significant difference in what the client needs and wants. An important part of an architect’s job is to fulfil all the client’s needs, even the ones that the client doesn’t realise they need. By keeping the client close but not in constant oversight allows HLM to design to the seen and unseen needs of their clients, this is seen in the many of their projects, such as: Addington School (an OFSTED-rated Outstanding Special School for children with special needs and disabilities.) At the Beginning of the project there was extensive consultation with the client, yet HLM still did their own research to ensure the school would meet all the pupils' needs. Having the clients sign off at each stage of the RIBA plan of works will keep a record of the client agreeing on proposal through the entirety of the project, this is vital to refer back to if the client would like any changes, for example: they don’t like the colour of the roof tiles. The architect would then be able to refer back to the signed off stages and inform them that the colour can absolutely be changed but it will cost extra money that would not have been scheduled into the bill of quantities.

Constructing a brief is an important part of any design regardless of the scale of the project, our research with HLM has shown us that the type of client is an important factor when constructing a project brief. A domestic client will require more help when setting out their expectations of what the brief will contain, some will be unsure of what they want/need. In this situation the architect can show examples of their work or others work to inspire or confirm a client’s wants. A commercial client will normally be more educated on what they want/need, it is then the architect’s job to ensure that everything is covered, and a detailed expansive brief is constructed. This will help the architect with their design and the commercial client,

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as a commercial client often includes various stakeholders and users, this ensures all parties are on the same page.

During the meeting with HLM architects the relationship between architects, planning authorities and building control was discussed. The relationship seems to be that the planning authorities have the final say whether or not a project is going to be built and the building control is there to ensure that all regulations are being followed to make sure it is safe and constructed properly. HLM talked about the need for a close relationship with both parties, this meaning that they should be informed on any changes to a proposal or a change of works. The relationship with them seems to work smoothly when they are informed and when questions are asked, even about minor issues. This will keep the architect on the project.

The contract and tendering process that was used on the Newbridge Project was not done in the traditional way in which most projects would be. Instead of using a design, bid and build approach to the project the project was completed by HLM architects through a design and build contract. This was the case as HLM partnered up with a contractor in order to make a bid to takeover the project from a previous architect who brought the design up to the initial concept stage and got the project through full planning permission. The Newbridge Integrated College project was put out for tender using the Dynamic Shortlisting Programme that CPD runs, this programme was used in order to put the tender out to only architects and contractors that had been validated for their quality, experience and resources. The contract that was used for the Newbridge Project was a fixed price contract, this type of contract was used as the Education Authority had started the project with a well-defined specification for the project: therefore, the price of the project was able to be estimated accurately. The project was run using a NEC contract, this contract was used in order to make it clear who was responsible, who had to communicate with each other and how and when the project was going to be paid for.

Recommendations for the project Something that we would recommend if the project was done again from the beginning would be, HLM to be the main and only architect that was involved in the project. Although working with an initial concept design that the previous architect had produced was beneficial in some ways, such as: the project had two architecture firms ensuring that it was designed correctly, and they were able to check each other’s work. This also meant that when HLM took over the project much of the initial start up of the project was completed, such as: they had already obtained planning permission for the project and initial testing on the site had been completed. If HLM architects had been the main architects for the project they would have not had any of the design constraints that the initial architect had produced from their initial design, they would have had more freedom to design the way that they saw fit and not had to design within the walls that the previous design had set out. Designing from the start would have let them give the project a touch of their own personal style.

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References Section 1 Hlmarchitects.com. 2022. About – HLM Architects. [online] Available at: <https://hlmarchitects.com/about/> [Accessed 14 April 2022]. (HLM,N/D) Belfast telegraph. 2022. HLM architects add to top team in leadership reshuffle. [online] Available at: <https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/northern-ireland/hlm-architectsadd-to-top-team-in-leadership-reshuffle-36035008.html> [Accessed 14 April 2022]. (Belfast Teegraph,2017) Hlmarchitects.com. 2022. People – HLM Architects. [online] Available at: <https://hlmarchitects.com/people/> [Accessed 14 April 2022].(HLM people,2022) Hlmarchitects.com. 2022. Contact – HLM Architects. [online] Available at: <https://hlmarchitects.com/contact/> [Accessed 14 April 2022]. (HLM Contacts, 2022) Irishtrade.ie. 2020. HLM, Belfast, Architects & Planners. [online] Available at: <https://www.irishtrade.ie/c-6143-HLM> [Accessed 14 April 2022]. (Irish trade, 2021) E-architect.com. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.e-architect.com/ireland/newbridge-integrated-college-loughbrickland> [Accessed 14 April 2022]. (e architect,2022) Hlmarchitects.com. 2022. Culture – HLM Architects. [online] Available at: <https://hlmarchitects.com/culture/> [Accessed 14 April 2022]. (HLM Culture, 2022) Hlmarchitects.com. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://hlmarchitects.com/wpcontent/uploads/2020/06/Thoughtful-Design-Toolkit.pdf> [Accessed 14 April 2022]. (HLM) Interview for report (Gibson,2022)

Section 2 Anon., n.d. [Online] Available at: Education. n.d. Section 4 - Secondary schools | Department of Education. [online] Available at: <https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/section-4-secondary-schools> [Accessed 14 April 2022].

Archisoup, n/d. [Online] Available at: https://www.archisoup.com/the-architecture-design-brief Architect, H., 2022. [Online] Available at: https://hlmarchitects.com/about/ Asana, 2020. [Online] Available at: https://asana.com/resources/project-brief EA, 2003. [Online] Available at: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/section-4-secondary-schools Gibson, F., 2022. [Online].

Grub, M., 2018. [Online] Available at: https://blog.mindgrub.com/why-your-project-needs-a-strategic-brief Info, N. B., n/d. [Online] Available at: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/design-sign-and-approval London, A. f., 2018. [Online] Available at: https://architectureforlondon.com/news/the-riba-plan-of-work/ Ltd, A. S., 2022. [Online] Available at: https://www.aisolutions.co.uk/community/Knowledge/Topic/8/4/Duties-ofClient Monograph, 2019-2022. [Online] Available at: https://monograph.com/templates/gantt-chart-architecture-template Monograph, n/d. [Online] Available at: https://monograph.com/templates/gantt-chart-architecture-template newbridgeintegrated, 2021. [Online] Available at: https://newbridgeintegrated.org/hot-off-the-press-news-for-new-bridgeintegrated-college

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NI, E. A., 2020. [Online] Available at: https://www.eani.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do PowerPoint, M., 2022. [Online].

UCAS, 2022. [Online] Available at: https://www.ucas.com/explore/career-page/5.1/2433

Section 3 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough council, 2015. Local Development Plan (residents). [Online] Available at: https://www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/resident/local-developmentplan-residents/#1522251407925-537e06ef-4756 [Accessed 15 03 2022].

Armagh City, Bandbridge & Craigavon Bourough Council, n.d. Booking a Building Inspection.

[Online] Available at: https://www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/resident/booking-aninspection-residents/ [Accessed 12 04 2022].

Department for infrastructure, n.d. NI Planning system. [Online] Available at: https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/articles/ni-planning-system [Accessed 15 03 2022].

Dimmer, K., 2019. The definitive guide to house plan approval permissions. [Online] Available at: https://www.privateproperty.co.za/advice/property/articles/the-definitiveguide-to-house-plan-approval-permissions/7166 [Accessed 13 03 2022].

GOV.UK, 2019. Use of Planning Conditions. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-of-planning-conditions [Accessed 13 04 2022].

GRAAN, J. V., 2020. Home renovations that don’t require planning permission. [Online] Available at: https://www.homify.co.za/ideabooks/7120799/home-renovations-that-don-trequire-planning-permission [Accessed 13 03 2022].

New Bridge Integrated College, 2020. Planning Approved for New School. [Online] Available at: https://newbridgeintegrated.org/panning-approved-for-new-school [Accessed 15 03 2022].

NI Direct, n.d. Getting help wih planning. [Online] Available at: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/getting-help-planning [Accessed 15 03 2022].

Turley, 2019. Northern Ireland Local Development Plans – Where are they?. [Online] Available at: https://www.turley.co.uk/comment/northern-ireland-local-development-planswhere-are-they [Accessed 16 03 2022].

Section 4 Construction Procurement Delivery, C., 2022. How to register for the CPD Dynamic Shortlisting System | Department of Finance. [online] Finance. Available at: <https://www.financeni.gov.uk/articles/how-register-cpd-dynamic-shortlisting-system> [Accessed 6 April 2022].

Slideshare.net. 2022. Session 19 4th edition PMP. [online] Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/kammesmat/session-19-33895819> [Accessed 4 April 2022].

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The Constructor, 2022. NEC3: Engineering and Construction Contract - The Constructor. [online] The Constructor. Available at: <https://theconstructor.org/construction/nec3engineering-constructioncontract/556899/#:~:text=NEC%20contracts%20were%20introduced%20in%201993%20with%2 0the,of%20Civil%20Engineers%20to%20replace%20conventional%20contracting%20methods. > [Accessed 14 April 2022].

Turner, B., 2022. What is a Design-Build Contract? (with pictures). [online] Smart Capital Mind.

Available at: <https://www.smartcapitalmind.com/what-is-a-design-build-contract.htm> [Accessed 6 April 2022].

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Appendices Appendix A – Meeting Minutes

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Appendix B – Proposal Application notice

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Appendix C – Proposal Application notice Approval

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Appendix D – Noise Notification Letter

Date: Your Ref: Our Ref: Please Contact: Contact Number 10th June 2020 LA08/2020/0240/F (Please quote at all times) Davina Craven 0300 200 7830

Dear Sir/Madam, Location: Proposal: Lands at and adjacent to New-Bridge Integrated College, 25 Donard View Road, Loughbrickland, Banbridge, Down, BT32 3LN, Phased construction of a new school building and sports hall, with associated infrastructure incorporating the following components: phased demolition of existing buildings, in-curtilage car/bus parking, circulation and access arrangements, provision of 3No. playing fields, provision of 4No. tennis courts, culverting of watercourse, electricity/ waste/service infrastructure, hard and soft landscaping works, boundary treatments, drainage works and other associated site works.

Under Article 8 (1)(b) of the Planning (General Development Procedure) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 the Council is required to serve notice of an application to any identified occupier on neighbouring land. The Council has received a planning application for a development at the above location and has identified your property for notification. If you have concerns you may, in the first instance, find it helpful to discuss the proposal directly with the applicant.

Once submitted a planning application will pass through a number of stages as follows: Validation & Consultation Following receipt the application is allocated to a planning officer who records the identified occupiers on neighbouring land along with appropriate consultees.

Neighbour notification letters are issued, the application is advertised and 35 | P a g e

consultations issued. The full details of the application including any plans, maps, drawings, environmental information etc which accompany the application are made available to view on the internet on the Public Access website (www.planningni.gov.uk/public-access-info). Copies of all consultation replies and any representation or objections received are also made available on the website upon their receipt.

Consideration and recommendation The planning officer having undertaken a site inspection, verified the identified occupiers on site and received all consultees responses completes his/her report and makes a recommendation. This recommendation takes account of all consultation comments, any representations from third parties and all other material considerations. The application is then discussed and a recommendation agreed by planning officers.

Decision The Council operates delegated decision making for certain local planning applications where decisions will be taken by appointed planning officers. Please refer to the Council’s website or contact this office for information on the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.

For other types of planning application, including major development, the application will alternatively be referred to the Council’s Planning Committee for consideration and determination. Please refer to the Council’s website or contact this office for further information on Planning Committee procedures. Post Decision When a decision is issued if you have made a representation on a proposal you will be notified about the decision and the reasons for taking that decision.

Furthermore certain planning applications, due to their nature and scope, are classified as major development and require the applicant to consult the community in advance of submitting an application. You may have already commented on a proposal as part of a community consultation. However, now that a planning application has been submitted if you wish to make further comments you should submit your comments directly to the council, or as the case may be the Department, by the means outlined in this letter.

You can track progress of this planning application by logging onto the Public Access website and entering the planning application reference number (as quoted above).

If you do not have access to the internet, you can call into this office and we will make the information available to you. Please telephone the Council to confirm the times when this service is available.

Alternatively you may view this information or the main planning file at this office.

You should note, however, that the main file is a working document and at certain times of the process it will not be immediately available. An appointment is therefore essential and you can make arrangements to view the file with the Open File Team.

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While it is not necessary for you to do anything further in response to this letter, you may wish to bring to the attention of theCouncil any relevant material planning matters which you think should, in the public interest, be taken into account before the application is decided. Material planning matters include adverse environmental effects, traffic impact and impact on the established character of a neighbourhood. It is important to remember that, when we take a decision on an application, we can only consider those comments that are strictly planning matters.

In order to improve overall accessibility to the planning process, information on planning applications is nowmade available on the Public Access site (www.planningni.gov.uk/ public-access-info). Consequently details of any representation received, i.e., letters of objection or support, will also be published on Public Access and will be made available for public viewing.

The Council will process your information in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) requirements. A copy of the full Privacy Statement is available at https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/gdpr-privacy-notices-dfi-businessareas alternatively you can contact the relevant Data Protection Officer listed and request a copy of the Statement to be posted directly to you.

Representations are subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act. Any personal or sensitive information contained in your representation (with the exception of your name and postal address) or any information considered by theCouncil to be off a derogatory or offensive nature will be redacted from your representation. Redaction is the term used to describe the editing process whereby data is removed from a document prior to publication.

The Council will take extreme care not to publish on the website signatures, personal telephone numbers, personal email addresses and any sensitive personal data received such as medical or financial information. (Please supply this information only if absolutely necessary). In giving your views on a planning application you should concentrate on relevant planning matters. Any complaints regarding staff, application processing, enforcement proceedings or requests for information should be forwarded under separate cover. If such material is contained within the representation it will be removed and dealt with under the relevant procedures.

Where the Council considers that the nature of comments made or information provided in a representation is such that it largely detracts from the relevant planning matters, the representation will be returned to the sender with a covering letter advising that the representation should be reconsidered and reworded before being returned.

While the Council is normally unable to enter into correspondence concerning detailed comments made, we will acknowledge receipt of any written representations and will notify you of the outcome of the planning application.

The Council cannot take into account private matters such as boundary disputes, moral issues or impact on a private view. Any relevant comments you make will be 37 | P a g e

considered in assessing this application and representations must be submitted to this office in writing by 24th June 2020. We request comments as early as possible, but we must take account of any representations that raise material planning considerations received before the application is actually determined.

Yours faithfully Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Planning Manager

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Appendix E – Planning Permission Certificate

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