The Macerator Shed

Developing Ideas and Listening to the experience of others

SCCH working with Sidmouth School of Art – delivered an extensive Sidmouth Makes Art project engaging over 200 local people over two years, we are members of the Wellbeing Health Action Team, we work regularly with the local primary schools and Sidmouth College and more recently part of the Sidmouth Green Groups Forum.

During that time we have listened to feedback and the voices of the community who have shared their voices via for example the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan, the Sidmouth Youth Strategy process and are part of the Arts East Devon Forum as well as working with more than 50 community groups in Sidmouth through Sea Fest and our arts projects.

We were involved in the set up of The Waffle House in Axminster with their community support model embedded in everything they do combined with an income generation stream to sustain what they do.  We were interested to see how this may be possible without a large premises and without needing a full time cafe to sustain.

We have been talking and working collaboratively with many groups in the community to understand what is needed, what the cultural gaps are and the challenges to young people in our community who have few spaces to use.

We developed the following vision to see if the micro space of the former Macerator Building could provide a small scale hub to meet those needs and provide us with a space in which to deliver art and environmental work in collaboration with other groups.

Vision and Aspiration to

Repurpose the Macerator building, in the Sensory Garden, to become an art, culture and learning centre with a kitchen garden and café.

An incubation space with a social purpose – to create, nurture and grow.

Create: art, design and crafts, a space to make and exhibit, engage and explore creativity including partnership art projects with Sidmouth School of Art

Nurture: healthy and seasonal food and drink in the community café – grown and from zero waste sources, learning: information and skills such as soil to plate, growing for biodiversity

Grow: build relationships, develop talent, skills, ideas, plants, food, connections and collaborations

Our Values

Sustainability, accessibility and inclusion, valuing people and planet.

This new space will house an ongoing programme of activities that enable young people and adults to develop their creative confidence, to get involved in workshops and projects that benefit the community and the local environment, and which have a positive impact on wellbeing.

We want to create a welcoming space to feel included and to just be.

Working with Others

Small scale nurturing activities will be curated in the space and led by SCCH with community groups also able to run activities in the facility adding an additional small income stream.

The space will be designed to use as an accessible “classroom on the coast” and include a small facility for a community wellbeing café to service the users of the space.  This will provide a modest income stream to support running costs alongside providing work experience and volunteer opportunities.

We look forward, when we have progressed through planning and the building work to open Culture House Sidmouth and to the activities that will bring the space to life.

Working with Sidmouth In Bloom, who manage the Sensory Garden, we have integrated with the community garden project in the area. Enhancing this space will help to promote pro-social behaviour in the area as opposed to anti-social.

Community groups who align to the centres purpose including those with a wellbeing and environmental focus will work with us to ensure that the new space is used to capacity.

Nurture, Create, Grow – Questions that helped shape the vision

• How to use this tiny space well?
• How to improve the outdoor space which sits on many levels presenting trip hazards and a lack of accessibility for all.
• How to design a limited space to use something that exists but is deteriorating?
• How to develop a pro rather than anti social space that risks activities that are hazards or detrimental to wellbeing.

Early in our thinking we sketched out what the space could look like and features that would be needed.

• Micro workspace – but sufficient to work closely in small groups, without overwhelm and be accessible to all – no barriers to participation.
• Small area for food and drink prep.
• Accessible toilet/cloakroom.
• Flexible bench/table/seating to reconfigure according to the use.
• Clever storage to maximise space.
• Keep the water butts which SIB use to nurture the Sensory Garden.
• Add storage for SIB equipment to be accessible regardless of what is happening inside.
• Separate sinks for art and food/drink prep.
• What would be useful – space to project/use technology.
• Using materials that support inclusivity and create a safe space and take account of all abilities.
• Design principles that are low carbon and based on renewable energy sources.
• Use materials suitable for the location – ie salt and weather conditions.
• Open the sea facing side of the building away from housing and to bring in light.
• Solar panels to support heating and conserve energy.
• Use flexible outdoor space to riverside – away from main Sensory Garden for good weather activities.

Drawings have been developed to reflect the aims, purpose and design principles to ensure the repurposed building is appropriate and in line with the vision.

Steps In The Process – more complex and less linear than one may think!

1. Responding to the EOI –  idea and vision, community understanding and conversation, artists vision, outline draft drawings, integration of Sidmouth In Bloom requirements, a wish list, ball park figures for changes and equipment
2. Researching of other similar community proposals to provide inspiration, understanding and helping to plan what may be possible even with a very small existing building
3. Alignment and being informed by involvement and consultation processes – Sidmouth Now – Youth Strategy, EDDC Culture Strategy, Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan policies
4. Assessment and agreement by councillors that our ideas meet the community benefit criteria and the proposed use is in keeping with the space and location.
5. Working with South West Water – previous owners to gain legal permission for the building to be used for the outlined purpose
6. Discussing with various funders to explore the possibilities of funding the project at the appropriate time – (most funders require planning permission and the lease in place)
7. Commissioning a Bird and Bat Survey to assess biodiversity considerations
8. Commissioning a Flood Risk Management to assess suitability and safe management given the buildings location
9. Exploration of ideas and support from a range of schools, green and wellbeing groups
10. Working with Sidmouth Town Council to develop reasonable and fair terms for use of the space, sensitive development of the area for neighbours and nature – with specialist support from solicitors for both parties
11. Engaging an architect to draw up technical plans and develop design statement and other required documents
12. Agreement to Lease and the Lease Agreement are conditional on planning consent and ability to raise funds for the repurposing work to be undertaken – architectural plans and a schedule of works are required for this but cannot be finalised until planning permission for change of use is obtained
13. Post planning decision – no.9 can be finalised and the process of fundraising can begin in full
14. Continued conversation, involvement and consultation with community groups (in parallel with #12 & #13)
15. Fundraising – grants, donations, crowdfunding, in-kind support
16. Achieving funding target – to trigger lease start and repurposing works (in parallel with #15)
17. Programming and partnership with users of the newly repurposed space (in parallel with #14)
18. Kit and Fit – equipment, services, partnership agreements
19. Induction, training, programme, booking systems
20. Launch – test and learn