Extract from Wilmott Dixon Design Statement
The redesign of Brent Civic Centre has met rising costs. The redesign 10 years on from the opening of the new £90m (£100m by some accounts) Civic Centre has been vigorously opposed by the Liberal Democrats who argued that the £2m could be better spent on more urgent issues affecting Brent residents. LINK
The cost has now gone up by £68,000 despite some efforts to find savings in the quality of fittings and fixtures.
The decision is made by council officers in consultation with the Cabinet Members who 'have been engaged throughout the project and are supportive.'
As such the decision is not subject to call-in.
The Decision
To approve the triggering of the second stage of the design and build contract with Willmott Dixon Construction Limited for the redesign and refurbishment works at Brent Civic Centre for a sum contract value of £2,087,744.93 (an uplift of £67,744.93).
Reasons for the decision:
The Council requires works to be undertaken to customer-facing spaces in Brent Civic Centre following completion RIBA Stages 3 and 4 of the project, including the detailed technical design by Wilmott Dixon Construction Ltd (WD), a single contractor appointed under Lot 2 of the Major Projects Framework established by the Procurement Hub. The commencement of the second stage of the contract by Wilmott Dixon Construction Ltd is recommended as it will enable the Council to manage any potential risks, and will provide efficient and consistent delivery of the works, as the redesign and associated services were undertaken by Wilmott Dixon. This will ensure that the anticipated improvement works are carried out to schedule, with completion by autumn 2024.
Alternative options considered:
Brent Council has worked with Willmott Dixon Construction Limited since 2022 to develop a feasibility study for the redesign works, followed by RIBA Stages 3 and 4 from 2023-24. Over the past two months, Brent Council has worked closely with WDI to amend the design plans in order to bring the costings in line with agreed budgets. Through a value engineering process, changes to fixtures and fittings have been agreed to minimise costs. Key internal stakeholders have suggested that further amendments to the design will compromise the benefits of the project to residents and customers. It is therefore considered that the increase in the contract value of around £67k is reasonable.
Brent Council outlined what they see as the necessity of a redesign in an earlier press release:
Work to revamp Brent Civic Centre and improve access for residents gets underway.
The transformation follows an extensive review into the evolving needs of residents and customers and aims to create a more accessible, welcoming and functional space for all visitors to the building.
The redesign will see changes to Wembley Library, the Community Hub, the Customer Services Centre and the Registration and Nationality space.
The benefits for residents include:
- Improved accessibility: A new welcoming main entrance on Exhibition Way (next to Sainsbury’s). The building will be more accessible for visitors with wheelchairs, pushchairs, and complex needs, ensuring inclusivity for all
- Dedicated customer area: The ground floor will have a brand-new customer area, including a digital hub for support with accessing online services
- Community hub: The Wembley Hub will have a new space on the ground floor equipped with meeting rooms for private and confidential conversations
- Enhanced library: A new purpose-built and enclosed children’s library, a repurposed mezzanine floor with flexible library spaces and increased study areas
- Registration and Nationality space: A new flexible space that customers can hire to Work is now underway with completion expected in autumn 2024. Throughout this period, all services will remain operational. A temporary library service will be available on the first floor of the civic centre. All library services will be available, but events will take place at other library locations.
As with many changes in Brent, members of the public talking to Wembley Matters on a recent visit appear to have been taken by surprise by the changes. Often the first they knew was when they visited the Civic Centre to change their library books and found the library had been moved from the ground floor to temporary accommodation alongside the Wembley Hub on the first floor. The temporary library has only a few shelving units and no electronic return and borrowing machines.
Jaws dropped when they were told the new main entrance would be situation between the pasty shop and Sainsbury's: 'But wasn't the current entrance designed to lead to the impressive atrium and wide wooden staircase?'
Some questioned how a modern purpose-built building could have proved inadequate for purpose 10 years on but that doesn't take into account the huge increased resident demand for face to face meetings with council officers as a result of austerity, the pandemic and rising homelessness. Now most of the ground floor will be given over to customer services.
