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Sunday 26 June 2016

Knowle relocation project: and questions of floor space

The East Devon Watch blog has just posted a question concerning a fresh Freedom of Information request to the District Council:
Do EDDC consultants know how long their piece of string is? | East Devon Watch

The request refers to an apparent contradiction between how 'an independent consultant' calculated the floor space at Knowle - and what the official valuers consider to be the right figure:
Total floor area of Knowle - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow

1) The Davis Langdon report to Cabinet of 17th July 2013 states the following:
“3.4.3 The current gross internal floor area totals some 7,722 m2, with the former Hotel providing 5,784 m2 and the Office Extensions 1,938m2." http://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/1183866/cabinet-agenda-170713-public-version.pdf

This is also referred to in an earlier FOI Request:
“The floor space area was calculated by an independent consultant and cross-checked with the Display Energy Certificate (DEC).” 
Costs of relocating EDDC HQ vs refurbishing Knowle - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow

2) The Valuation Office website states the following:
“Address of property: KNOWLE THE, STATION ROAD, SIDMOUTH, DEVON, EX10 8HL
“Total area: 4871.85 [sqm]
VOA - Business Rates - Valuation

There is further confusion - not referred to in the FOI request:

3) In the Minutes to the Overview and Scrutiny Cttee meeting of 16th October 2014, it states the following:
“A number of questions were asked by the committee, including: What the required office floor space was for the council? The current space at the Knowle was approximately 7000sqm; the requirement was approximately 3,300sqm.”

4) In the VGS representation to the draft Local Plan of 14th January 2013, it states the following:
“the District Council has publicly stated that it needs half of the current 9200 square metres of floor space”

All of this has direct bearing on the reasoning behind the 'need' to relocate
> namely that the current building is 'not fit for purpose', that it is 'too big' and that it would be too expensive to do anything with:

COST MODEL FOR REFURBISHMENT OF ALL EXISTING KNOWLE OFFICE BUILDINGS
For East Devon District Council
Revision G - 4 June 2013
Cost model for existing building refurbishment: 
cabinet-agenda-170713-public-version.pdf [from page 55]

... which has established the calculation of £15 million to 'refurbish' Knowle:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project ... What do you get for a £15m refurbishment? ... part one

Meanwhile, there are the current plans for new HQs in Honiton 
"Plans for the new office complex, in Honiton’s Heathpark area, show EDDC’s aims to build a new building of approximately 2,600sqm."
EDDC unveils new plans for its Honiton HQ - News - Midweek Herald
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: District Council planning application for Honiton HQ >>> 16/1292/MFUL

... and Exmouth:
"I can confirm that the current area identified for EDDC staff at Exmouth Town Hall is 585m2 – excluding all communal, circulating and meeting spaces. 
"The approximate gross internal floor measurement for areas classed as circulation/communal/meeting areas (including the Chamber) is 366 m2"

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