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Transform The Common Room - Roman Road

Funded on Spacehive 26 May 2020

Impact data and claims within this report are provided by the project creator and have not been independently verified by Spacehive.

Transform The Common Room - Roman Road

Roman Road Trust By Roman Road Trust

We want to transform The Common Room to create a fully-functional learning space that offers cultural learning and knowledge sharing to better meet the needs of our diverse community.

Tower Hamlets Delivery stage

251
backers
£81,701
raised
funded icon
This project was funded on 26 May 2020!

The Common Room is a temporary structure built in 2014 in an un-loved corner of Roman Road. This fund is required to transform the existing structure to become a community learning and cultural space in partnership with several cultural and educational organisations and institutions. The structure will need new roofing, flooring, front extension, storage, and toilet. Once the space is built we will begin by developing Learning Programmes to focus on sustaining healthy high streets and providing training in Community Organising to local groups. We will also create Cultural Programmes in collaboration with local institutions to reflect our diverse local community.

What we'll deliver:

  • New roof
  • New flooring
  • Suitable storage facilities
  • Equipment/furniture
  • A welcoming entrance and reception area
  • Toilet
  • Learning Programme
  • Cultural Programme
  • High Street Programme

Why it's a great idea:

This project is a great idea as a place that can build interest in community engagement and organising. It aims for local residents to have an active role in shaping and impacting their neighbourhood and ensure the high street becomes a vibrant environment outside its pure purpose of consumption. Its programme will enable people to relate to the rich social history of the area through their own stories to foster a sense of belonging. Once this space is recreated to become functional and use-able throughout the year we can deliver an exciting cultural and educational programme, uniquely specific to neighbourhoods in and around the Roman Road. Collaborations would mean we can support artists running events at The Common Room, as well as talks and workshops that deliver informal learning. Formal short courses for those interested in social enterprises and community projects will be delivered in collaboration with our university partners and School For Civic Action.

Steps to get it done:

  • Securing final design and drawings from architect
  • Sourcing materials to build structure
  • Secured Expression of Interest from local cultural organisations to deliver learning programmes
  • Finalising Partnership Agreements with local cultural organisations
  • Securing Landlord Agreements
  • Applying for planning consent
  • Prepare all tender documents
  • Procurement to contractors
  • Final quotes for the build
  • Begin build
  • Develop Culture, High Street, and Learning Programmes with partner organisations
  • Secure all building certificates
  • Building completion
  • Planning the launch of The Common Room
  • Begin Programmes

We intend for the programme offered in The Common Room to continually evolve to suit the needs, desires, and interests of local people. However, to begin, the focus will be threefold: 
 1 - Knowledge and learning on sustaining healthy high streets 2 - Learning programme on Community Organising to support and work with Roman Road Trust to deliver democratic and fit for purpose programmes 3 - Cultural programmes which will initially draw upon the radical history of the area but will move to draw upon the current cultural offering to reflect our diverse local community

Location Tower Hamlets

About the space

Roman Road Common Room, Ford Road, E3 5NS (behind Santander cycles, next to Car Park.)

Council

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

How will the money be spent?Total £74,105

Construction Labour - £28,680 (39%)
Walls - £8,553 (12%)
Architect Fees - £8,000 (11%)
Roof - £5,509 (7%)
Doors & Windows - £4,969 (7%)
Architects Fees - £3,500 (5%)
Contingency - £3,259 (4%)
Electricity - £1,620 (2%)
Floor - £1,600 (2%)
Hire Equipment - £1,500 (2%)
Other - £6,916 (9%)

Costs Breakdown

This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.

39%
Construction Labour
£28,680
12%
Walls
£8,553
11%
Architect Fees
£8,000
7%
Roof
£5,509
7%
Doors & Windows
£4,969
5%
Architects Fees
£3,500
4%
Contingency
£3,259
2%
Electricity
£1,620
2%
Floor
£1,600
2%
Hire Equipment
£1,500
9%
Other Read More
£6,916
  • Spacehive fees
    £1,329
  • Architects Fees
    £1,050
  • Engineer
    £1,000
  • Building Control
    £1,000
  • Skips
    £700
  • Portaloo
    £684
  • Kitchen
    £500
  • Planning Application Fee
    £300
  • VAT
    £266
  • Transaction Fees
    £86

Overfunding

This project is enabled for overfunding. If the project hits its funding goal before the end of the campaign period, any extra funds raised will be spent (in order of priority) on:

  • £13,000 Further project management
  • £2000 Architects fees to develop design details
  • £4000 Unknowns related to what building control may want such as water, foundation or higher insulation spec.
  • £1000 Provision for heating
  • £11,000 Provision for electricity meter
  • £3000 Need for a higher contingency to cover unpredictable costs
  • £2500 Planters and green roof
  • £1500 Gravel for roof and garden
  • £4000 Foundation slabs
  • £500 Waterstorage
  • £1000 Painting and decorating

Total £74,105

Our Volunteer List

We're currently looking for people to offer skills and time to develop our project! Check out the list of what we need below and then use the 'Volunteer' button to the right to get involved.

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