Malcolm Reading Consultants warning for City Square.

Some good reading on the Malcolm Reading Consultants website.  

 

In case you’re wondering, I was looking for more info on the design competition and latest parameters.  They were expecting 150 applicants when it launched, we have 55 – but there’s a “record number of collaborations”, so that’s ok.

 

I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I did find some good advice.

 

Advice for new projects:  Step 6: Find the hidden costs.

 

“The physical building and its services may account for two-thirds or less of the total project costs.”

 

But don’t worry. 

 

After all, the “Land acquisition, VAT, professional fees, disruption, management and staff costs as well as the cost of financing and inflation [which] can make up the remaining third”, were all included in the budgeted £140m costs for the City Square. 

 

It’s not as if they were included in the 25 ‘exclusions’ from the technical feasibility study.

 

Well, apart from Land acquisition, VAT, professional fees, disruption, management and staff costs and inflation.

 

So of course we’ll end up with something that’s wonderful and amazing and iconic and unlike anything anywhere else in the world and not just another plaza completely on budget.

 

Bearing in mind that the closest I’ve got to an economic case for spending (ahem) £140m from  acsef is ”well our arts centre is bigger than the Peacock one so it’ll bring bigger benefits”*, and you might see my concerns.

 

*I know, you’d think by now they’d have an economic case for it, but still nothing, so the closest to an economic case I have seen is from last year.

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