Biggin Hill Ward

Report DRR17/032

The development of the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum project was now complete with all funding secure. Members were recommended to approve the delivery of the project and also to approve the award of the works contract and the investment of the endowment.

A petition addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture Media and Sport had been received from Rita Radford objecting to the current plans for the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum -

“To: The Secretary of State for the Department for Culture Media and Sport

Stop the part demolition of this iconic Grade II Listed Chapel, built by Sir Winston Churchill in 1951 as a permanent memorial to the 454 fallen airmen from Great Britain, the Dominions and Allied Countries - 'His Boys' - who won the Battle of Britain and flew from Biggin Hill and associated airfields throughout World War 2.”

The petition was signed online by 7,399 people; based on analysis of the postcodes provided, it appeared that about 2,500 petitioners lived within the borough.

The Leader invited Rita Radford to address the Executive in support of her petition. She criticised the design of the current proposals as ugly, stark and unsympathetic, with no RAF or aviation references and involving the demolition of the grade II listed vestry extension; this scheme had only just received planning permission with the Sub-Committee divided on its merits. She stated that many residents were unaware of the proposals, that consultation had been poor and that there had been confusion about the need for site notices relating to the planning application, with inaccurate information about this being supplied to her MP. The Supporters Club scheme from 2014, which still had planning permission, was much superior in approach, and the costs were not higher than the proposed scheme. She requested that she be allowed to address councillors again at the special Council meeting on 25^th July. 

Councillor Peter Morgan, Portfolio Holder for Renewal and Recreation, responded to the petition. He emphasised that the Council had been trying to establish a museum for thirty years. With funding now secured from the Government and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), a sustainable project was in place that would secure both the Chapel and its memorial garden and provide a new museum. The extension to the Chapel was indeed listed, but it was a more recent addition, and included in the listing only as it was attached to the original listed building. The issue of design was subjective, but Historic England approved of the current design.

Councillor Richard Scoates addressed the Executive and although he praised the work done by officers to reach this stage he urged that the design be reviewed – he considered that moving the building could alleviate some of the concerns without jeopardising the funding that had been secured. These comments were supported by Councillor Simon Fawthrop. Officers confirmed that if any further changes were made the HLF would review and likely withdraw their funding. Councillor Nicholas Bennett spoke as the Council’s Design and Heritage Champion supporting the proposed design; several members of the Executive also spoke in support of the design. 

Members discussed the approach to the contents of the museum – it was expected to be an inspiring, living museum that would tell the stories of the people who served at Biggin Hill. Officers had consulted widely on the content of the museum, including with young people, and arrangements were in place for long term loans of artefacts from organisations such as the RAF Museum at Hendon and the Imperial War Museum. A popular schools programme had already been developed. 

The project was split into two phases. It was intended that phase 1, including the building of the museum exhibitions, conservation and renovation of the Chapel, landscaping of the grounds and the introduction of visitor facilities including a café, would be completed in time to open the site to the public in November 2018, leading the borough’s remembrance activity marking the end of the First World War and one hundred years of the RAF. Funding was not yet in place for phase 2, which included the learning space and memorial wall. Councillor Morgan urged that costs be established for phase 2 and that the Trustees be encouraged to begin fundraising. 

The report had been scrutinised by the Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee on 5^th July 2017. A part 2 report set out proposals for the award of the building contract for the Museum.

RESOLVED that

(1)  It is noted that the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a grant of almost £2m to the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum scheme.

(2)  The delivery of the project to completion at a total cost of £5.325m as detailed in paragraph 3.4 of the report be approved.

(3)  £257k be formally allocated from capital receipts as the additional Council contribution towards the scheme, which includes the match funding element towards the HLF grant.

(4) The capital estimate for the scheme be increased by £2.666m, a total scheme cost of £3.086m, subject to approval by Full Council.

(5)  The investment of £1.55m from the Treasury Grant, into a Charitable Investment Fund in the name of the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum Trust, to create an endowment fund as detailed in paragraph 3.25 of the report, be approved.

(6) It is agreed that the £689k HLF grant can be used to develop an activity plan, to meet the requirements of the grant conditions.

(7) It is noted that the outcome of the tender process, and recommendation to award the works contract, is detailed in a Part Two report.

(8) The estimated value of delivering the learning centre and memorial wall as set out in paragraphs 3.20 to 3.24 of the report be noted for future consideration, but officers be requested to establish the costs and the Trust be urged to begin fundraising.