Construction Steering Group

Hornsey Town Hall
Construction Steering Group
Meeting Minutes: Wednesday 20th November 2019, 7pm
Location: Marketing Suite, Hornsey Town Hall, The Broadway, Crouch End, London N8 9JJ
Attendees: Phil Briscoe (Newington Communications) Chair
Beth Park (Newington Communications) Secretary
Mark Afford (Crouch End Conservation Area Advisory Committee)
Chris Currer (Crouch End Festival)
Katy Ghahremani (Make Architects)
Doris Lam (Far East Consortium)
Andrew Major (Time + Space Co)
Cllr Tammy Palmer (Haringey Council, Crouch End)
Joe Pitt (Ardmore)
Ruth Selig (Weston and Haringey Parks’ Residents Association)
Charlie Sharp (Crouch End Neighbourhood Forum)
Kathy Smith (Weston and Haringey Parks’ Residents Association)
Liz Sich (Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust)
Angela Walsh (Far East Consortium)
Apologies: Neil Simon (Haringey Council)
Cllr Luke Cawley-Harrison (Crouch End, Haringey Council)
Chris Arnold (Crouch End Festival)
Amanda Carrara (Crouch End Festival)
Lewis Dunn (Traders of Crouch End)
Piers Read (Time and Space Co)
Emma Williamson (Haringey Council)
Minutes:
1 – Welcome
1.1 Phil Briscoe of Newington Communications introduced himself as Chairman of the Construction Steering Group (CSG) for the redevelopment of Hornsey Town Hall (HTH). He explained the CSG ‘Terms of Reference’ to all attendees and clarified that, whilst the Council are still signing this off, they have allowed the CSG to have its first meeting in view of the fact that work has begun on site.
1.2 Members of the CSG introduced themselves and their involvement in the project. Thereafter, Phil Briscoe explained that there is a fixed list of groups that the Council has agreed should be invited to the CSG; however, there is an opportunity to include others. For example, the Weston and Haringey Parks Residents’ Association had been invited on the advice of Crouch End Neighbourhood Forum. Phil Briscoe then invited CSG members to make any suggestions regarding further members.
1.3 Liz Sich of Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust asked if any representatives of Hornsey Library had been invited. Phil Briscoe explained that it was intended that they be invited, however, he needed to find out which representative to contact.
1.4 Phil Briscoe asked the group if they thought it would be a good idea to advertise membership of the CSG via a leaflet. Members of the group nodded in agreement. Liz Sich added that social media could also be a good way of advertising it; however, Chris Currer of Crouch End Festival warned that it could entice negative comments in response. Cllr Tammy Palmer of Crouch End Ward said that the group could be advertised through the focus leaflets issued by councillors.
1.5 Liz Sich commented that it would be good to see participation from across the borough, not just Crouch End. Angela Walsh of Far East Consortium (FEC) agreed that this would be more inclusive. Chris Currer suggested that local school pupils could also be invited. Cllr Palmer added that Crouch End connects east and west and that membership could also include those from the creative community in Tottenham.
2 – CSG Terms of Reference
2.1 Charlie Sharp of Crouch End Neighbourhood Forum said that it would be useful if the Chairman could outline the ‘Terms of Reference’ for the CSG because there will be other groups in future and this one may not be as useful for some people. Phil Briscoe proceeded to read through the ‘Terms of Reference’, explaining that the purpose of the meetings was to facilitate transparency around what is happening on site. He added that there will be presentations on specific themes, such as heritage, at each meeting.
2.2 Phil Briscoe explained that the CSG will run until approximately the end of 2021. Around the same time, there will be a Community Use and Access Steering Group set up, which will be more focused on community access to and uses within the building.
2.3 Ruth Selig of Weston and Haringey Parks Residents’ Association asked if local businesses had been invited to the CSG. Phil Briscoe confirmed that Lewis Dunn had been invited as a representative of the Traders of Crouch End but that he was not present.
3 – Update from Far East Consortium
3.1 Doris Lam of FEC explained that Ardmore had been appointed in July 2019 and that they have already been working with FEC to engage with the local community. For example, they are talking to Crouch End Festival about erecting a Christmas tree at HTH. They have also been working with the Old Hornseyan Association and held a Remembrance Day Memorial Service on site, followed by a project update in the HTH Marketing Suite. Finally, the hoardings have now been put up, showing a timeline and plan for the development.
3.2 Doris Lam added that Ardmore had decided not to cordon off all of the green outside HTH. Joe Pitt said that this was because Ardmore had realised lots of schools and nurseries use it and, as they did not need to do any work to it yet, they wanted to leave it accessible for as long as possible. Doris Lam added that Ardmore were also maintaining the furniture within the green, as people had been damaging it in the middle of the night; however, she added that new furniture will be installed once the development is complete.
3.3 Doris Lam also explained that FEC produces a newsletter. Ruth Selig asked who receives it, to which Doris Lam explained that anyone can sign up and that CSG members should leave their email address if they would like to receive it. Ruth Selig added that she could post it on Facebook. Angela Walsh then mentioned that the focus is more about sales; however, there are a number of newsletters being produced (by Ardmore and Time + Space Co) with different focuses.
3.4 Joe Pitt of Ardmore mentioned that there are TVs on the hoardings and that Ardmore could include updates on anything the group are interested in. Cllr Palmer then asked if Ardmore were clearly advertising a place where residents can contact them. Joe Pitt responded that there are contact details given on the hoardings by the main entrance and that they are visible from the green. There are also contact details provided on Ardmore’s quarterly newsletters.
3.5 Kathy Smith of Weston and Haringey Parks Residents’ Association explained that she lives near to the boundary of the site and that she had enquired with Ardmore about the vibrations emanating from it, but she had not yet had a response. Joe Pitt explained that his colleague, Eilish Kwai is responding to people. He added that part of the construction works involves piling; however, they’re not driven piles, so there should be no hammering. Ruth Selig said that the vibrations had felt as if there was hammering involved, but Joe Pitt explained that this shouldn’t be the case as they have only been preparing for piling works so far.
3.6 Cllr Palmer said that there had been a ‘liveable neighbourhood trial’ and added that engagement is key. She suggested that Ardmore should speak with residents to identify a key catchment and that FAQs should be included on their newsletters.
3.7 Kathy Smith asked how the size of the vibrations is being measured and what residents should be expecting. She explained that a lot of residents are concerned about damage to their properties and what will happen if damage occurs, who will deal with it, etc. She said that she would like to know what the accepted level of vibration is and how it will be monitored.
3.8 Joe Pitt said that Ardmore had been engaging a lot with the party wall surveyor, however, Kathy Smith noted that she had enquired with him and had not heard back. Joe Pitt noted that members of the group now had his email address and that if they let him, or the wider team, know about any issues then they will try to help. He explained that they could organise receptors to go into certain areas to measure vibration sizes, and that it would be helpful to find out from residents who is being affected and who is not.
3.9 Joe Pitt went on to explain that, last week, Ardmore had given reassurance to a resident about the compacting works they were doing to ensure there would be a stable footing when the piling machine is being used.
3.10 Liz Sich suggested it would be useful if Ardmore set out a series of construction milestones and the amount of time it would be likely to take. Kathy Smith said that this is very important because there are residents living closer to the site than she is, but that she had already had items fall off the wall as a result of vibration. She explained that the London Construction Report recommends a seismometer is installed to determine accepted levels of vibration.
3.11 Joe Pitt said that Ardmore could set up trials, for example, in the area adjacent to Kathy Smith’s house. He said they would need to find out what happened and when, then set up a trial and get true readings. He explained that they need to deal with each issue on its own merits.
3.12 Cllr Palmer said that Ardmore need to ensure they are going to residents first, rather than the other way around. Joe Pitt responded that they are sending out a newsletter and had hosted a Meet the Builder event on-site, but that not many people attended. He said that the low level of attendance could have been because it was too early in the process for people to want to meet them and ask questions, and that they intend to hold more events in future.
3.13 Ruth Selig said that before work is started, Ardmore should go to the site neighbours to tell them about it, and then measure the impact. Joe Pitt said that it would be difficult to give out information every day but that they do want to tell people about the main events that will be happening in advance.
4 – Update from Ardmore
4.1 Joe Pitt reiterated that Ardmore had set up several channels of community engagement; they had hosted a Meet the Builder event, have social media, and issue a newsletter specific to HTH. There will also be more security on site than ever before because previously it was derelict and largely unmanned. He explained that they want to engage from the very beginning, to which Cllr Palmer responded that they should not be afraid to seek engagement.
4.2 Ruth Selig asked if there could be separate engagement with residents living nearby. She explained that she had discovered when walking down Haringey Park that, at the three crossovers, there was lots of mud from Ardmore vehicles. She added that the area has now been washed but, as a result, it is full of puddles.
4.3 Joe Pitt responded to Ruth Selig’s concerns, explaining that water had collected because the entrance by the library doesn’t have a gully. Ardmore are therefore looking to introduce a small channel with a small pipe going back into the site; there will also be a white pipe that takes water into the site and then into the sewer. He explained that this process involves agreement from the Council and will take a little time.
4.4 Joe Pitt then added that he had noticed an area of mud and leaves during his routine walks around the site and had instructed the Ardmore team to carry out regular sweeping of footpaths until the leaves finish falling. He also instructed the team to put down concrete on an area of the footpath he had noticed was particularly muddy, to make it more presentable. There is now a finished surface in its place.
4.5 Ruth Selig and Kathy Smith both agreed they noticed the site entrance at Haringey Park is well maintained by the site staff.
4.6 Joe Pitt then went on to explain that although Ardmore had been on site since July, their focus was on the interior of HTH. He explained that this involved issuing method statements, doing repairs, removing asbestos, and cleaning. He said that it would be three or four months until they are building in HTH, which will involve building and renovating. One significant piece of work that Ardmore has done so far involved producing a report on the original theatre area, in which there has been considerable water damage to the timber panelling. He added that much of what they do is based on heritage reports.
4.7 Mark Afford of Crouch End Conservation Area Advisory Committee went on to ask whether there would be a representative from the new hotel at HTH represented on the CSG. Doris Lam said that they wouldn’t do so at the moment; on the hotel side, FEC have been focusing on the design, branding and marketing, so it may be better to wait to include a hotel representative until there is more information, she explained. Doris Lam invited members of the group to ask FEC any questions they have about the hotel. She added that this can be a focus for a future session, as there will be a different focus at each meeting and different teams brought in to present.
4.8 Mark Afford then asked about the construction timetable and whether Ardmore is running on time. Joe Pitt explained that Ardmore is running to schedule and that they had always known there would be a lot to do at the start before building could begin. He explained that heritage jobs are different to standard construction work, and that Ardmore has been building contacts with English Heritage and having meetings with them.
4.9 Cllr Palmer referred to Joe Pitt’s comment about removing asbestos (4.6) and asked how this is being managed. Joe Pitt explained that it is a slow process, as it is not just about dealing with the asbestos, but there may also be barriers in the way like timber flooring. He explained that in such instances Ardmore need to interact with groups like English Heritage to ensure materials are analysed. Doris Lam went on to say that all areas containing asbestos are sealed and contained and that the team wear protective clothing. There are also lots of screens which prevent people going into parts of the building containing asbestos. Joe Pitt added that he receives reports on this matter and has a birdseye view over the whole operation.
4.10 Kathy Smith then asked whether asbestos is taken away from the site after it is removed. Joe Pitt confirmed that all asbestos has been removed onsite safely and legally through asbestos specialist company. He then went on to say that there is similar work going on at the library but that, again, residents often confuse the work taking place at the library with the work at HTH. Cllr Palmer added that there had been a project meeting with the library in which public facing engagement was discussed. She agreed that there is confusion between the works at the library and at HTH and it needs to be clear who to speak to at each site.
4.11 Liz Sich went on to say that she thought an officer from Haringey Council should be present at the meeting. Doris Lam explained that FEC is in touch with both the library project team and Neil Simon at Haringey Council. Joe Pitt added that Ardmore have regular meetings on site with the library team.
4.12 Cllr Palmer asked if there had been any complaints from library users about the works at HTH. Joe Pitt said that there had been feedback from people who are renting the working space within the library, but that this had arisen from some confusion about what was agreed at meetings with the library project team.
4.13 Phil Briscoe then concluded the item, asking attendees to proceed to a tour of the site.

5 – Site tour
5.1 Joe Pitt led a tour of the HTH site. He started by explaining that Ardmore are now operating from a permanent office, and that there is a fingerprint security system for workers, visitor sign-in and a 24/7 security team.
5.2 Joe Pitt then showed the group the level of protection that has been employed throughout the interior of the building. For example, the former reception desk is completely under cover. Ruth Selig asked why the windows in the doorframe were not protected, to which Joe Pitt responded that this wasn’t required yet as it is not yet a construction zone.
5.3 Joe Pitt explained that there is a massive list of heritage features and that all historical elements are recorded, so that everything removed can be put back properly. He added that everything of heritage value is being restored to its original form.
5.4 The group then moved through the building and Joe Pitt pointed out the screens which ensure there is a clear route through the building. He explained that the theatre is out of bounds because there is so much work to do before the renovation can begin. Andrew Major of Time + Space Co said that next year Time + Space Co will be based in the building and will be speaking to potential users of the space.
5.5 Joe Pitt showed the group the presentation boards that were on display at the Meet the Builder event. He also pointed out that there are lots of notices on doors about works and scoping as visual aids are helpful.
5.6 Attendees then looked at various images of the site that were on display, including one which showed the Remembrance Day service that took place in the Assembly Hall, which had been uncovered specifically for the occasion. Doris Lam added that the construction team stopped working to ensure there was silence in the building. Joe Pitt noted that the protection was removed in the Assembly Hall for about a week to allow others to visit and pay their respects.
5.7 Mark Afford asked if all the original power supplies had been disconnected. Joe Pitt said that they had been and that Ardmore was required to find out where all the original cables were running.
5.8 Joe Pitt then spoke about the cranes that that would be going up on site, noting that they will be busy. He also showed an image of a unit that is used to look for unexploded bombs, explaining that there was a low risk of finding one but that they wanted to ensure there was no risk at all. The group were also shown pictures of the inside of the theatre and the protective measures being taken.
5.9 The final images were of the work being done to St Peters in Chains Church. Ardmore had met with Father Sean at the Church, who had said that an area of carpet needed renewed. Ardmore had offered to help with this and, upon doing so, noticed that there were rotting timbers beneath. Ardmore is now making further improvements to the Church as part of their community outreach work.
5.10 Joe Pitt added that Ardmore had engaged with Ashmount School, at which he gave a presentation to the pupils on safety. During the summer, they had also launched a competition to put pupils’ artwork on the site hoardings.
5.11 There was also a discussion about local training. Joe Pitt explained that his colleague, Eilish Kwai was a member of Women in Construction and often visits local colleges to speak about careers in construction. He confirmed that Ardmore is likely to exceed the 10 apprenticeships they are required to deliver. They have also taken on a graduate, which Doris Lam confirmed lives locally. Cllr Palmer asked if the apprentices were also local, which Joe Pitt confirmed they were.
5.12 Mark Afford asked if keeping items within the building in their original state is the guiding principle. Joe Pitt responded that this is definitely the case. Katy Ghahremani of Make Architects said that their aim is to only touch the parts of the building that are damaged. She added that there is a traffic light system for repairs.
5.13 The group then looked at the parquet flooring in the building, before leaving the site and returning to the Marketing Suite.
6 – Update from Time + Space Co
6.1 Andrew Major said that Time + Space Co had taken a couple of months to take stock of the forward programme of work with community groups and explained that they will have more of a physical presence on site in the New Year. He added that a lot of people don’t know what the arts space at HTH will be, but that in future they will be able to book a tour. Time + Space Co also send out a quarterly newsletter in concurrence with Ardmore and FEC.
6.2 Andrew Major then noted that Time + Space Co are currently looking at the leasing of the commercial space at HTH, and the operation of the bars and restaurants. He added that they will be heavily involved in the Community Use and Access Steering Group in the future. Ruth Selig asked what was happening with the Ply Gallery that used to operate at HTH. Chris Currer responded that he thought that this had now been disbanded.
7 – Work programme: themes in focus
7.1 Phil Briscoe said that at future meetings there would be a focus on different themes, bringing in relevant members of the team. He asked CSG members to email in suggestions if there is a particular focus they wish to be covered. Doris Lam added that a focus on the hotel element of HTH had already been suggested. Liz Sich asked for heritage to be a focus and enquired as to who to email to request a future theme. Phil Briscoe advised attendees to email him in this instance.
8 – Dates of next meetings
8.1 Phil Briscoe suggested that the meetings continue to take place on the third Wednesday of each month for consistency. He asked the group if they would like to meet in December, to which they said they wouldn’t and preferred deferring until January. Phil Briscoe then confirmed that the next two meeting dates would therefore be 15th January and 26th February, with the February meeting taking place a week later than usual to account for the half term break.
8.2 Phil Briscoe then asked if the current meeting time of 7pm is too late. Cllr Palmer suggested that evening meetings are preferable as some of the group work during the day; however, she would be happy with a 6pm meeting in future. Ruth Selig added that future meetings should last for one hour only.

9 – Any other business
9.1 Phil Briscoe explained that the meeting minutes are set to be published on the Hornsey Town Hall website within 5 days of each meeting. He encouraged group members to prepare questions in advance and added that he would be happy to field other residents’ questions too. He would also be happy for group members to send other colleagues in their place if they cannot attend.