Former Ice Works – Project Viability Appraisal has begun!

Newlyn FISH Trust has commissioned a team of specialists to carry out a Project Viability Appraisal (PVA) of the port’s disused Former Ice Works to assess the suitability of this imposing Grade 2 Listed Building to become the venue (provisionally named Newlyn FISH Centre) for telling Newlyn’s important past, present and future story.

Funding for the study is being provided by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), a charity that promotes the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas.

What’s the purpose of the Project Viability Appraisal (PVA)?

The PVA will test the viability of our proposals for the Former Ice works, culminating in the production of a Project Viability Report, which will then inform an application for project development funding.

It will help us understand what options there are for restoring, adapting and using the Former Ice works (in the light of our ambition for it be the location for Newlyn FISH Centre) and which option is most likely to provide a long-term sustainable future for the building (and, with it, the FISH Centre).

The PVA Report will bring together these findings and help the Trust take an informed decision about whether we should commit to further cost, risk and effort in developing the project.

It will also be a document that we can provide to our stakeholders, supporters and funders to help them understand the steps we have undertaken to test the feasibility of our plans and their appropriate application to the building. It will be key to showing why our project is one worth supporting and funding.

What does the PVA involve?

We have commissioned a Conservation Accredited Engineer, Commercial Estate Agent, Historic Environment Consultant, Business Planner, Quantity Surveyor and an Architect to carry out the following work.

  • Condition Survey – to make an initial assessment of whether: the building is sound; there are structural defects which are repairable; any of those defects are so critical they need to be treated as urgent.
  • Property Valuation – to understand the existing value and cost of acquiring the building.
  • Historic Building Appraisal – to gain an initial general understanding of the historic significance and character of the Listed Building.
  • Options for Use Analysis –  to make an outline assessment of the space available within the Ice Works and that required for Newlyn FISH Centre; identify additional uses for sustainable income generation (compatible with the core activity, of socio-economic benefit to Newlyn and attractive to funders); produce ballpark restoration/adaptation costs.
  • Project Viability Report – integration of the PVA results for submission to the AHF by the end of March 2022.

Community & stakeholder involvement

Vital to our ambition to establish Newlyn FISH Centre is the involvement of local people in its design and creation, and the forming of strong partnerships with key groups and organisations with a shared interest in seeing it happen. The PVA will also include:

  • Community consultation – as part of a more general community consultation exercise being carried out by Penzance Town Council.
  • Involvement of a local artist – making a photographic study of the Ice Works, as a voluntary contribution to the project.

We will also identify how our ambition for the Ice Works fits in with relevant existing plans and strategies and hold a site visit for key stakeholders so that we can connect with other organisations interested in creating a sustainable future for Newlyn and include their feedback in the results of the Appraisal.

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