Agenda item

Presentation by Paul Weston, Kiveton Park Community Development Trust

David Oldroyd and Paul Weston were welcomed to the meeting to give a presentation on the Kiveton Park Colliery Regeneration Project.

 

The presentation covered the following aspects:-

 

-                       Background

            Pit closure 1994

            Listing – Grade II – Built in 1938 – 1 of only 4 remaining in the country

            Neglect and vandalism

            Yorkshire Forward’s role

            Community protest

            Role of the Trust

            Feasibility Study

 

-                       Pithead Baths

-                       Project – The Bath House – a creative enterprise centre

-                       Site/Site Plan

 

-                       “A creative Centre for creative people”

            High cost

            Arts and creativity

            Redroad Media Project

            Community use

            Income generation

            Growth sector

            Community enterprise

            Young people

            RotherValley South

 

-                       Context

            Ground Floor/Upstairs

 

-                       Outputs

            14 creative work units

            7 new full-time jobs

            1 development officer

            1 cinema

            1 new performance venue

            1 new exhibition gallery

            1 high quality large hall (300)

            3 new community rooms

            3,500 sq ft of learning space

            1 community media suite

 

-                       Outcomes

            Arts and cultural activity

            Growth sector industries

            Local work

            Better leisure opportunities

            Appeal to the young

            Lifelong learning

            Regeneration catalyst

            Complement pit site

            Set a standard of quality and creativity

            Encourage enterprise and entrepreneurship

            Provide the Trust with a long-term asset

            Encourage community participation

            Increase an interest in the Trust

 

-                       Where we are at:

            Repair schedule

            Design and layout

            Specification

            Planning application

            Capital costs

            Business plan

            Funding applications

            Management plan

 

-                       Where we’re going next:

            PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP

            Development funding

            RIBA Stages E & F and beyond

            Heritage and Image

            Access and Acoustics

            Planning issues

            Ownership

            Capital funding

            PROJECT ADVISORY GROUP

            Training

            Community and user involvement

            Cluster development

            Promoting and marketing

 

The main focus of the work over the last two years had been to work with the community to come up with a solution with regard to the future of this important heritage location and building. 

 

The idea has developed with the enthusiasm of young people not only from the community but from villages around to have constructive and creative leisure time, hence the concept of an enterprise centre.

 

A planning application had been submitted and capital funding is awaited.

 

Members of the Consortium raised the following questions:-

 

What cost is there to RMBC?

 

It was pointed out that there would be no cost to the Council.

 

Why should this project succeed when a similar Music Centre in Sheffield  had failed?

 

Consideration had been given to this but all concerned had been very realistic about the proposal from the outset.  Funding was based on less than a 50% occupancy in year one, for which subsidy was needed.  A great deal of discussion was taking place with Yorkshire Forward and Coalfield Regeneration Trust about the fact that it should not be another music centre or earth centre.  There was £250,000 revenue funding over 5 years and it was necessary to appoint the right people to run the project.

 

It was necessary to gain the support of the wider Rotherham Arts community to acknowledge the importance that culture and creative activity should not just take place at the centre.

 

Had there been any firm promises of investment?

 

It is difficult to gain commitment from investors but there was almost £1.5 million of the capital cost.  A further £2 million was needed to make it happen, subject to the rest of the funding being available.  Work was taking place with major funders at the moment and a recent meeting had taken place with RMBC who had agreed to facilitate a meeting with major funders.

 

One member referred to the needs of another local village, for example Harthill, which was in need of money investing and compared this to money being spent at KivetonPark.

 

It was explained that questionnaires had been sent with over six thousand responses.  Very few people had spoken against the project and whose who had were residents of the access road and this issue had been dealt with.

 

The project would be of major benefit to KivetonPark but was not a village hall but to serve all surrounding areas, including residents of Harthill.  A recent meeting of an Area Assembly had accepted the presentation and thought it to be a great project, recognising that residents they had no need to drive into the centre of Rotherham.

 

In relation to the YES project at Rother Valley, RMBC did believe the Kiveton Park Colliery project could benefit the YES project in terms of arts and community activities rather than people who have to travel from far away.

 

One officer present commented on the potential of the building and agreed it was a fantastic idea.  Lessons learned from the recent opening of the Museum in terms of a major building project and funding applications could be shared with the Development Trust.

 

One member present was delighted to see the community regenerated and believed the building had great potential as a tourist and heritage attraction.

 

Further ideas for the project included an Exhibition Gallery, IT terminals and a virtual reality experience during the day from Bronze Age to present day.  The younger generation of the village were very keen to see the building used as a modern centre.

 

Agreed:-  That David and Paul be thanked for an interesting and informative presentation.