Planning Document
A full set of documents have been submitted to South Downs National Park planning authority for the refurbishment of the Festival Hall. These can be viewed in the documents listed below.
On Fri 4 Feb 2022, Councillor JC Crissey, of Petersfield Town Council presented “Petersfield Festival Hall – 2040” to local Business Group – First Friday Petersfield.
On Fri 22 Oct 2021, Councillor JC Crissey, of Petersfield Town Council presented “Petersfield Festival Hall – Renovation Project” to Petersfield Strategy Group.
At the annual general meeting of the Petersfield Society on Tues 15 June 2021, Councillor JC Crissey, of Petersfield Town Council presented “Petersfield Festival Hall – A Possible Future”
In his capacity as Chairman of both the Public Halls Committee and the Festival Hall Working Party, Cllr Crissey provided an update on the current plans to renovate the Festival Hall.
A few nights ago I attended a zoom webinar of the AGM of the Petersfield Society, followed by a fascinating and very informative talk about the status of the plans for the Festival Hall, given by Cllr J C Crissey. The Presentation made a clear number of important points that have helped me review my position on the redevelopment. In the first place it is clear something needs to be done, and soon. The building is in poor shape and it is no longer fit for purpose, being nearly 90 years old. Secondly, and critically, no irrevocable decision has yet been taken by the town council on the way forward. Thirdly, the public will have a chance to have its say in a public consultation sometime in the next few months; and finally, if the full plans are implemented, Petersfield will have the most modern and environmentally-friendly, low-running cost, community facility in Britain. It will be of use to a wide range of users from toddler and youth groups, special interest groups, the performing arts, health services as well as providing modern office accommodation for staff. The town council deserves thanks, and support for the approach it has and is taking on this important matter. They would appear to be following in the brave footsteps of their predecessors who had the vision and foresight to build the hall in the 1930s.
Petersfield Festival Hall
RIBA Stage 3: Elevation Analysis
May 2021
Foster Wilson Size (architects) and Qoda (energy specialists) are assisting us to explore the refurbishment requirements to produce RIBA 3 final draft drawings, based on Foster Wilson Size Option 2 designs which were approved by members in February 2021, in preparation for a full public consultation that will take place sometime in Autumn 2021. The drawings will include:
- Converting the office spaces (known as the Festival Hall Suites) into additional community spaces
- Meeting the aspirations to make the building climate friendly which could include cladding the building (click here to view) attach file FWS_Peterfield_Elevation Analysis
- Include any adjustments to meet the requirements of potential future pandemics.
We will be looking for a much wider consultation to ensure that all residents of Petersfield and area have an opportunity to have a say and share their views.
Petersfield Festival Hall
RIBA Stage 3: Design Layout update V3
29.01.2021
Please remember that these designs and costs are being shared at a point in time as part of a very long journey, and will undoubtedly change many times before final decisions are made. If you wish to join us on this journey, then why not join us for our Public Halls meetings, or follow the minutes. Details can be found under the Council Business tab on this website.
PREVIOUS RIBA STAGES OF THE PLANNING PROCESS
As part of RIBA stage 2, Petersfield Town Council employed the services of ACL Consultancy Solutions Ltd to provide advice on possible options and programme which could be run additionally at the Festival Hall to support the future and funding of this Petersfield Town asset. A draft of this report was produced much earlier, and it was recognised that further work was needed to provide a report that also gave some indications of direction, as well as information and requirements view here.
RIBA 2 Concept Design public consultation was completed on 10 November 2019, and the Town Council are now exploring how much of the current Concept Design, which would currently cost £8.6m, should be taken into the next stage which is RIBA 3. This is being discussed through a Project Working Party who are preparing discussion papers for review in Public Halls Committee meetings.
If you would like to follow this project, then you are very welcome to join us at the Public Halls committee meetings to hear this major project being discussed.
The Town Hall and Festival Hall Complex has been in need of some remedial work for many years, and in particular, the ‘temporary extension’ that was built to the right hand side of the Town Hall & Festival Hall back in the early 1970’s. This area is adjacent to the Rose Room and contains the current Kitchen, Meeting/Storage Room and Toilets.
Foster Wilson Architects were appointed in July 2017, and a Feasibility Study was carried out based on Town Hall User feedback. This provided information to shape the first Feasibility Study Report produced in December 2017 which can be viewed here
Members of the Public Halls Committee and Foster Wilson Architects held a Public Consultation Day which took place at the Town Hall on 16th June 2018, so that general public feedback, as well as user feedback could be received.
The Public Consultation provided a good level of detail, which enabled Foster Wilson Architects to go away and work on new drawings, and produce the first set of RIBA 2 designs. A summary can be viewed here
In conjunction with the RIBA 2 design, a presentation was given by Foster Wilson Architects at the Public Halls meeting in January 2019, which included further drawings and historical information, and this can be viewed here
The next step was to carry out a wider public consultation across the town, so that as many members of the public could be encouraged to give their views on what work should be carried out to make the Festival Hall complex future proof, and become available to a wider audience and range of events. Petersfield Festival Hall
Stage 2 Design Report Summary.
The final public consultations were held at the Festival Hall on Saturday 19 October 2019. This provided public with an opportunity to hear presentations from our architects.
