Bat and Ball Grade II listed station refurbishment
CLIENT ADVISER
Sarah Williams
2018 – ongoing
CLIENT
Sevenoaks Town Council
LEAD ARCHITECT
Theis and Khan
SERVICES PROVIDED
– Brief development and budget setting
– Advice on selection of architect, core team and others
– Design review at all stages
– Procurement and design process advice
– Assurance and support for council members
– Support and advice for designers and contractors
– Resolution of ongoing design and construction issues
– Advice at all design, tender and construction stages
– Input into HLF funding application
Challenges
Why was a Client Advisor required?
The project comprised the refurbishment of an operational station with a derelict Grade II listed Victorian building. Client adviser services were required during all stages of the project, initially advising on the brief, budget and team selection thorugh to construction and completion on site.
As the station building was listed, ongoing services were required to support the client through the design process, liaise with a wide variety of stakeholders to achieve listed building consent and secure Heritage lottery funding.
The Client Adviser was required to enhance the public sector client’s capacity and provide advice, support and assurance in the delivery of a high-quality project which would be on time and on budget. The building brief comprised a set of community spaces, cafe and ancillary accommodation, such as toilets and kitchens and the retention and restoration of all the orginal features of the derelict building.
Outcomes
What value was created
An extremely successful project that has resulted in a sensitively restored much-loved building in Sevenoaks. Surveys have shown that the newly refurbished building is universally liked by the community. It has had many bookings and is generating revenue for the council. The building will work in tandem with the refurbished community centre when it has been completed late 2020.
The project received heritage lottery funding, due in part to the rigorous process undertaken and the level of detail the team compiled at various stages. This was a real victory as it is difficult to secure funding for projects of this size and the scheme could not have gone ahead without the funding. HLF commented on the quality of the proposals and how this had helped secure the funding.
Due to the renewed interest in the building and its use by the public, Network Rail/ SouthEastern have now refurbished the listed canopies on the platform and a new ramp has also been created to link the centre with the station. This has allowed access to the London bound train which was not available for wheelchair users prior to construction. Regeneration is happening in the area.
The project has received numerous awards including the Retrofit winner 2019, Frank Marshall Award joint winner 2019S, National Railway heritage award winner. 2019 Shortlisted for RIBA South Eastern awards and AJ awards 2019.
Testimonial
“Sarah has acted as a vital bridge between the world of professional architecture and passionate, but less technically minded, stakeholders; allowing them to feel involved in the design process, and work towards a final design that hopefully the Council and all aspects of the community will feel proud of. We look forward to working with Sarah over the coming months and years to deliver the project safe in the knowledge that she’ll continue to guide us through the numerous design stages with her characteristic patience and ability to translate complex information into layman’s terms. ”
