Reports

First-stage Report of the Council on the construction of education space and gallery refurbishment at Kettle’s Yard

The Council begs leave to report to the University as follows:

1. In this Report the Council is seeking approval in principle for the construction of a new education wing and a major gallery refurbishment at Kettle’s Yard as set out below.

2. Kettle’s Yard was created by Jim Ede, the Tate Gallery’s first curator of modern art. His modern art collection was first housed in four 19th century cottages, which were in a severely dilapidated condition when he bought them in 1956. Extensions to the original cottages, sensitively melding old and new architecture, were added in 1970, 1981, and 1986. These were designed by Leslie Martin and David Owers with the 1994 arcaded extension along Castle Street designed by Bland, Brown & Cole. When Kettle’s Yard became part of the University in 1966, the adjoining premises at 4 and 5 Castle Street were acquired, initially with a view to providing a rental income, but with the long-term prospect that they would become part of the Kettle’s Yard gallery. These premises were fire-damaged in September 2003 and have remained vacant since then.

3. Kettle’s Yard is a Grade II listed building and the work that has been undertaken over the years to establish the gallery has helped to conserve and enhance the building and to secure its long-term future. The adjoining building to the east (formerly 4 and 5 Castle Street) is designated as a ‘Building of Local Interest’ by the City Council; the building also lies within the City’s Central Conservation Area. It is proposed to refurbish these dilapidated properties as part of a proposed expansion of the gallery and the refurbishment will do much to enhance the Conservation Area in townscape terms.

4. A project to construct a new education wing at Kettle’s Yard within the footprint of 4 and 5 Castle Street was approved by the University in 2010 (Reporter, 6195, 2009–10, p. 1051; 6201, 2010–11, p. 136). This was put on hold, however, and eventually superseded by a larger project also incorporating a significant upgrade to Kettle’s Yard’s existing gallery space.

5. Developing the premises at 4 and 5 Castle Street will provide two education spaces, one at basement level for practical art activities, and the other at second-floor level for lectures, films, seminars, etc. In addition a project space and archive will be established on the first floor with additional toilet facilities. It is impractical to retain the existing street façade at ground-, first-, and second-floor levels, so the plan is to demolish and rebuild the façade. Planning permission for this was obtained as part of the education wing project. The existing interior will be totally replaced to a new design by Jamie Fobert Architects. The new space will link up with the proposed gallery spaces on the ground floor.

6. The existing gallery spaces will be reconfigured to create two contemporary galleries. Gallery 1 (situated along Castle Street) will utilize the existing flat above to create a double height gallery. The existing flat on the second floor will be adapted to become the new office and meeting room for Kettle’s Yard. The existing office space will become a small café and the existing education space will become the new shop. The existing floor level of this space will be raised to match the floor level of the entrance space, where a welcome desk will be situated. A new glazed screen is proposed to provide one point of entrance and exit from the courtyard.

7. The project will be carried out in one phase and will create 454m² of new accommodation and will reconfigure 634m² of existing accommodation.

8. The estimated project cost is £7.5m. To date Kettle’s Yard has confirmed funding towards the project of £3,206,511, including an award of £1,969,702 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. An application has been submitted to Arts Council England for funding of £3.5m. This is a two-stage application process; Kettle’s Yard has successfully passed stage one and will submit its stage two application in November 2014. A decision is anticipated in March 2015. The balance of the funding required to proceed with the project will be sought primarily from Trusts and Foundations as part of a renewed fundraising campaign, launched on 1 October 2014.

9. The Planning and Resources Committee, at their meeting on 25 June 2014, approved the Full Case for the proposed development, subject to a successful bid to Arts Council England. The increase in running costs for the extended facilities has been incorporated into the business plan and it is a requirement of the Committee that sufficient funds are raised, in addition to the capital requirements, to create an endowment to cover these additional recurrent costs.

10. Further details relating to the design, maintenance, recurrent costs, and funding arrangements will be brought to future meetings of the Buildings Committee and the Planning and Resources Committee. A Second-stage Report will be published in due course to gain approval for implementation of the project.

11. Drawings of the proposed scheme are displayed for the information of the University in the Schools Arcade. A site plan is shown below.

12. The Council recommends:

I. That approval in principle be given for the construction of a new education wing and a major gallery refurbishment at Kettle’s Yard as set out in this Report.

II. That the Director of Estate Strategy be authorized to apply for detailed planning approval in due course.

7 October 2014	L. K. Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor	Richard Jones	Rachael Padman
	N. Bampos	Fiona Karet	Shirley Pearce
	Jeremy Caddick	F. P. Kelly	John Shakeshaft
	Stephen J. Cowley	Mark Lewisohn	Jean Thomas
	Anne Davis	Rebecca Lingwood	Evianne van Gijn
	David Good	Mavis McDonald	I. H. White
	Helen Hoogewerf-McComb	Susan Oosthuizen	A. D. Yates
	Andy Hopper

Site plan: Kettle's Yard proposed expansion

Kettle's Yard site plan