Redevelopment of The Former Viking Pub into a Community Building

Description

Sprowston Town Council acquired the site in 2021 and are seeking to convert and extend the building to form a new multi-purpose facility for use by the public and local community. It is proposed the existing building will be fully refurbished internally including the removal of all existing redundant plant and equipment. As part of the refurbishment works, a large single storey extension of 187m2 of new floor space will be built to the rear of the building. Lot 1: On the ground floor, two self-contained function rooms, will be formed, each containing storage, toilets and tea-making facilities. In addition to the function rooms a café bar will be created in the central rotunda of the building, which again will be self-contained, having its own toilet facilities and services along with a stock room allocated within the cellar. The first-floor layout will be converted into 3no. small, office units, serviced by toilet and tea-making facilities. The extension will create an additional 187m2 of new floor space and will be single storey, standing at a height of 6.00m at its highest ridgeline, reducing to 3.4m at the lowest eaves line to the north-east boundary. Remedial works will consist of extensive works to the roof and dormer windows and the replacement of all fenestration with modern casement window units. The facing brickwork façade will be treated to a 'through-colour' render to first floor level, which will tidy-up and improve poor remedial work carried out under previous ownership, whilst also making-good to blocked-up openings. The extension will be a steel framed structure, located to the rear of the original building, filling the space formed by the 'embrace' of each wing. The walls will be finished with a high-quality, facing blockwork. The wedge shape of the extension has been designed to maximise floorspace and internal height within the hall without dominating the original building or neighbouring boundaries. The extension will be connected by a low-level link that will abut the original structure below eaves level to minimise impact to the rear elevation at high-level, forming a small section of flat roof area between the two buildings, that can be easily access from the first floor. The wedge-like roof structure will be finished with a highly insulated, polyester powder coated, profiled composite cladding panels, incorporating rooflights to the north-east pitch. The front boundary to Tills Road will be enclosed by 1.2m high, bow-topped, steel fencing with gates. All existing boundary fences and walls will remain unaffected, unless in need of repair/replacement. The existing carpark will be resurfaced and re-lined to accommodate 16 no. car parking spaces and two accessible access spaces for both staff and visitors in clearly demarcated areas. In addition, 6 no. wall-mounted, electric car charging points will be provided. Dedicated, covered cycle storage will be provided and a bin store enclosure will be formed to the south-east boundary of the site. A raised external decking area will be formed to the front of the building to serve the café bar. Access to the telecommunications tower will be maintained and agreed with the operator. The existing FW & SW drainage is dispersed via a combined sewer. New SW volume is proposed to be dealt with via new soakaways located under the car park, subject to testing of ground conditions.