STSD - Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development

Tabulated Outputs, February to August 2000: South Somerset Sustainable Construction Project

It should be noted that the following outputs are project outputs as a whole - considerable teamwork has been involved in achieving many of them. Exemplar projects that are ‘in the pipeline’ are indicated in the relevant sections (e.g. Village Halls, Social Housing); for ease of viewing they are also indicated in a second separate table, with details of the status of the exemplar project.

Project Area	Outputs Achieved February to Early August 2000
Village Halls and Community Buildings. Primarily with Julian Brooks (Community Regeneration).	Establishment of Grants for Sustainable Construction for Village Halls and Community Buildings programme (£10,000) 1st grant paid out for solar panel at Bucklers Mead School, Yeovil SCC agreement to extend the grant scheme countywide in 2000-2001 (£35,000 allocated) Draft Guide to Sustainable Construction for Village Halls and Community Buildings produced for circulation in South Somerset during 2000 and beyond Agreement and finance from SCC (£1500) to distribute the Guide countywide for free to over 300 village halls during 2000 Conference on ‘Running Your Hall For Less’ held at Stoke-sub-Hamdon with 60 attendees, in partnership with Community Council of Somerset PowerPoint Presentation on Sustainable Construction for Village Halls prepared and successfully used at 2 events 2 community building exemplar projects secured (Wincanton Healthy Living Centre, Bruton Playgroup Building) 2 village hall exemplar projects secured with ecological architects employed: Fivehead, Norton-sub-Hamdon 2 likely / potential further exemplar projects identified: Ham Hill Visitor Centre, Ilton Village Hall. 1 independent exemplar building at Carymoor Environment Centre promoted by use as Seminar venue Sustainable Self Build for Community Buildings Seminar planned in partnership with Walter Segal Self Build Trust for April 2001
SSDC Buildings and Schools Primarily with Julian Brooks (Community Regeneration) and Ian Johns (Architect)	Sustainable construction now recognised as needing to be addressed for any SSDC building project via SSDC architect (Ian Johns) Free Design Advice Consultant’s Report (DETR funded) on Churchfields extension Limited sustainability improvements to Churchfields extension as a result of free Design Advice report Draft Guide to Sustainable Construction for Council and Public Buildings submitted to Council architect (Ian Johns) Sustainable Buildings Maintenance Plan and Sustainable New Build and Refurbishment Plan proposed as essential within Corporate Priorities programme Agreement to ‘Sustainable Construction for Schools’ project with SCC, including proposed Guide for Sustainable Construction for Schools and Educational Buildings Agreement to Sustainable Schools Seminar (early 2001), in partnership with SCC Education and Property Depts 4 likely / prospective exemplar projects identified: Swanmead School extension (Ilminster), Chard Manor Court School, primary school within Lufton key site and Bruton Meadow Steiner School (independent of the Sustainable Construction project) Potential exemplar eco-business park under consideration at Westover site, Langport (Clive Miller and Ian Johns)
Planning	Sustainable Construction Advice leaflet produced to accompany planning application forms (to Terry Johnson) Contributions to Wincanton Key Site Development Brief Major contribution to body of Lufton Key Site Development Brief (with Mark Pollock and Adron Duckworth), including detailed Sustainable Construction Appendix Agreement that Lufton Brief should provide the blueprint for incorporation of sustainable construction considerations into all other Key Site Briefs Recommendations made to 2 Planning Managers meetings regarding adoption of 3-stranded approach through: strengthened Local Plan policies Key Site Development Briefs Supplementary Planning Guidance in addition to the need for more relevant training for planning staff Draft Guide to Sustainable Construction as potential district wide Supplementary Planning Guidance or to be integrated into South Somerset Design Guide programmed for 2001 (to Terry Johnson) Agreement in principle that the feasibility of Combined Heat Power (CHP) should be assessed for its feasibility for Lufton and subsequently all Key Sites
Social Housing Primarily with Tim Davis (Housing Development Manager)	Agreement secured for ‘Critical Assessments’ of three ‘live’ RSL schemes All partner Housing Associations made aware of free Design Advice scheme (DETR funded) and informed of the benefits of using the scheme Draft Guide to Sustainable Construction for Housing Associations circulated to all partner Housing Associations via Tim Davis Significant insulation increases and other sustainability improvements through involvement of STSD as formal partner in SSH Stapleton Close scheme (Martock) 2 Free Design Advice consultants report (DETR funded) secured for Social Housing projects by September 2000:- North Street, Wincanton (Signpost) and Springmead, Chard (STSD) Lufton Key Site Brief specifying Best Practice sustainable construction standards as requirement for all its social housing elements, thereby securing a major SC exemplar element within the overall key site development 1 presentation to Housing and Accommodation Group re SC project1 presentation to Housing and Accommodation Group re SC project Seminar event on Design and Specification specifically designed to address and assist Housing Association needs for training Further seminar planned for 2001 to address needs of RSLs, in partnership with the Sustainable Homes project (Housing Corporation / Hastoe Housing Association) 3 sites being considered by STSD for potential exemplar social housing projects (all in Chard)
Seminar and Conference Programme Primarily with Jane Tromans (Corporate) and Keith Wheaton-Green (Agenda 21), plus administrative support	180 attendees at Sustainable Construction Conference and Exhibition, with very high levels of satisfaction confirmed by feedback forms Nominal profit of £3600 on Conference (shared between SSDC and Trust45 attendees at Sustainable Products and Materials Seminar 45 attendees at Sustainable Products and Materials Seminar 45 attendees at Sustainable Timber Frame Construction Seminar 67 attendees at Sustainable Design and Specification Seminar 45 attendees at Sustainable Self-Build Seminar High levels of satisfaction with all four seminars confirmed by feedback reports Cost effective in-house training for members and officers provided through seminars programme, plus valuable member involvement achieved through Chairing of events Nominal profit of approx. £1500 on programme of 4 seminars (retained by SSDC Draft 2000-2001 programme of 10 seminar / conference events produced by STSD with SSDC
Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development Primarily with Stuart Black (private sector partner, ex-Chair SW Urban Villages Forum)	Trust formally launched at May 19th Conference 12 Trustees appointed by end July Trust incorporated in early Sept. and Bank account opened 2 F/T Jobs created: Project Manager appointed and in post early July 2000; Office Manager appointed and in post early August 2000 STSD information and promotional leaflet produced Business Plan and Strategic Framework prepared Draft funding bid document and work programme prepared in consultation with senior SSDC and SCC officers, seeking approx. £318,000 external funding over 3 years from a variety of sources for discrete projects Initial (temporary) office established More permanent STSD office at Langport Town Hall, agreed in principle (expected move date October 2000) Website pages on the STSD included within Somerset Sustainable Housing website (www.sustainablehousing.org.uk) and SSDC website Identification of potential for linked SC and local energy project with experienced sustainable energy partner (Energy for Sustainable Development) - seeking Partners In Innovation funding Comments on SC submitted on planning application for Torbay Health and Beauty Clinic, Castle Cary in consultation with Area East planning 5 potential exemplar schemes under consideration, either led by the Trust or in partnership: 3 social housing projects, 1 independent market housing, 1 commercial/light industrial
Additional Outputs	1 meeting with Head of Regional Strategy of SWERDA re long term funding opportunities for SC Project and STSD SSDC Sustainable Construction Project Website 56 responses to Sustainable Construction Questionnaire: questionnaire report (October) provides strategic information on project priorities and information / training priorities, and provides objective data to support funding bids, etc. Responses reflect approx. 20% response rate to questionnaires distributed via Conference and seminars Informal establishment of Somerset Sustainable Self-Build Network agreed in principle through seminar programme and general networking Detailed comments on the draft South West Sustainable Development Framework to the SW Sustainable Development Round Table on behalf of the Sustainable Construction Project Corporate recognition that sustainable construction and Best Value are inextricably linked, and that SC therefore has to be addressed through corporate activities and work programmes Comments and contributions on SC to corporate Best Value review

Exemplar Projects

Project Name	Project Status
Village Halls / Community Buildings:
Wincanton Healthy Living Centre	Ecological architect appointed
Bruton Playgroup Building	Ecological architect appointed
Fivehead Village Hall	Ecological architect appointed
Norton sub Hamdon Village Hall	Ecological architect expected to be appointed by end 2000
Social Housing:
Springmead, Chard	Expected to be first STSD exemplar scheme - approx. 10 houses
Fawcus Place, Chard	Potential / likely STSD exemplar scheme
Old Cinema Site, Chard	Offer for land submitted by STSD for 4-6 house exemplar scheme
Lufton Key Site	Desire for good practise sustainable construction standards for all social housing being written into Key Site Development Brief
Schools:
Bucklers Mead School, Yeovil	£500 from Community Buildings Grant Scheme towards solar panel
Swanmead School, Ilminster	Head Teacher keen to see major extension built as SC exemplar
Chard Manor School	Suitability for exemplar project agreed in principle with SCC
Lufton Key Site	Suitability for exemplar project agreed in principle with SCC
Public Buildings:
Ham Hill Visitor Centre	Identified as potential and highly suitable exemplar
Langport Town Hall	Sustainable refurbishment to be carried out by STSD for their offices
Other Developments:
Wilkinthroop House, nr. Templecombe.	Private developer seeking exemplar housing project on brownfield site (approx. 80 homes), subject to planning approval as exception site
Meadows Steiner School, Bruton.	School planning exemplar project - independent of SC project
Torbay Health & Beauty Clinic, Castle Cary.	Planning permission granted for commercial premises with significant inclusion of SC features
Minton’s Orchard, Chard.	Developer with SC experience in contact with STSD re 100 house site
Potential for CHP, Lufton Key Site	In partnership with STSD and DETR approved energy consultant, developer assessing potential for CHP / local energy company
Dillington Park Farm	Potential sustainable refurbishment and conversion of redundant farm buildings to employment use.
Existing South Somerset Exemplar Projects, (Independent of SC Project)
Carymoor Visitor Centre, Dimmer.	Exemplar classroom and office completed 2000, independent of SC Project
Raglan Housing Association, Somerton	Social housing scheme incorporating high energy and water efficiency completed 2000, independent of SC Project
Charles Couzen’s House, Bruton.	Private 3 bed house incorporating many SC features
Camelot Housing Co-op / South Petherton Self Build Project	Self-build social housing project of 11 timber frame, timber clad homes, completed in 1997 with Knightstone Housing Association
Tinker’s Bubble, Stoke sub Hamden	Exemplar ‘low impact’ development