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Site Pathways & Case Studies

Site A: Lavender Pumphouse

350-seat community theatre hub

Key Characteristics

  • ✓ Historic waterside location
  • ✓ Community-focused programming
  • ✓ 350-seat capacity
  • ✓ Heritage fabric preservation needed
  • ✓ Local stakeholder engagement critical

Risk Profile

  • ⚠️ Heritage constraints
  • ⚠️ Listed building status
  • ⚠️ Conservation area implications
  • ⚠️ Access and egress design challenges

Discovery Phase Key Deliverables

  • • Structural heritage survey
  • • Listed building consent preliminary assessment
  • • Community consultation plan
  • • Access audit and technical options appraisal
  • • Indicative capital budget: £800k–£1.2m

Implementation Timeline

  • • Discovery: 4–5 months (heritage engagement)
  • • Permissions: 6–9 months (multiple consents)
  • • Build: 10–14 months
  • • Total: 18–24 months

Site B: Brunel Tunnel Shaft

100-seat subterranean niche venue

Key Characteristics

  • ✓ Unique subterranean setting
  • ✓ Intimate 100-seat capacity
  • ✓ Historic engineering landmark
  • ✓ Museum partnership opportunity
  • ✓ Niche cultural programming

Risk Profile

  • ⚠️ Scheduled Monument designation
  • ⚠️ Confined space constraints
  • ⚠️ Complex egress/emergency procedures
  • ⚠️ Accessibility design complexity
  • ⚠️ Specialist engineering required

Discovery Phase Key Deliverables

  • • Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC) pre-application
  • • Specialist heritage and engineering survey
  • • Geotechnical and structural assessment
  • • Confined space and egress strategy
  • • Indicative capital budget: £500k–£800k

Implementation Timeline

  • • Discovery: 5–6 months (specialist engagement)
  • • Permissions: 9–12 months (SMC lead time)
  • • Build: 12–18 months (heritage-sensitive works)
  • • Total: 20–24 months

Site C: Printworks / Harmsworth Quays

Large-scale cultural anchor (500+ seats)

Key Characteristics

  • ✓ Large capacity (500+ seats)
  • ✓ Multi-purpose cultural venue
  • ✓ Waterside location
  • ✓ Regional cultural significance
  • ✓ Developer partnership potential

Risk Profile

  • ⚠️ Large capital requirement
  • ⚠️ Complex planning coordination
  • ⚠️ Transport and parking constraints
  • ⚠️ Delivery complexity
  • ⚠️ Funding dependency

Discovery Phase Key Deliverables

  • • Feasibility study and market analysis
  • • Planning pathway assessment
  • • Transport and parking impact study
  • • Financial modelling and funding strategy
  • • Indicative capital budget: £2m–£3.5m+

Implementation Timeline

  • • Total: 24–36 months (longer for complex sites)

Comparative Site Matrix

FactorPumphouseBrunel ShaftPrintworks
Capacity350 seats100 seats500+ seats
Discovery Cost£8k–£12k£10k–£15k£12k–£20k
Total Budget£800k–£1.2m£500k–£800k£2m–£3.5m+
Timeline18–24 months20–24 months24–36 months
ComplexityMediumHighVery High

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