It is important first to consider your service in terms of its mission, vision, objectives, and how you wish to deliver these to your audiences. These concepts should shape your specification.
Working out needs and functions
Before calling on the advice of architects, surveyors, engineers or contractors, it is essential to know the answers to the following questions:
Has the case been made for new accommodation for the service to your parent organisation and any other relevant stakeholders who may support you?
If you do need to make a business case, you may find The National Archives’ guidance on effective communications and stakeholder review and engagement helpful.
Public authorities must ensure that during the exercise of their functions, they fulfil the Public Sector Equality Duty. An Equality Impact Assessment is a way of facilitating and providing evidence that the Public Sector Equality Duty has been met. A project creating a new repository or modifying an existing building should ensure it takes into account the Public Sector Equality Duty from the outset.
Have you set out the functions the new building will be expected to serve, and for whom, and how much space will be required for each of them?
Consider how adaptable this space can be to changing circumstances, and which functions will require dedicated space. It is worth thinking about if these functions tie in with your stated mission, vision, objectives, and the ways in which you envisage delivering these to your audiences.
Careful consideration will need to be given to the arrangement of archival functions, particularly if the building is shared with non-archive services. This will assist with mitigating against additional risks and the potential for competing demands for space.
See ‘Functions and Layout’ for a general checklist of functions to help you think this through in more detail.
Futureproofing
How many people and records, and what equipment will the new building be expected to accommodate (a) initially and (b) before the end of its occupancy/life?
It is important to think about all people when planning a new build (professional, technical and ancillary staff, volunteers, and members of the public), as well as quantity of records, and what plant machinery and equipment will be required – both in the present, but also into the future.
You should think about how to future-proof your new development, including how public and private space can be adapted and managed, particularly in light of variable levels of staffing and on-site access that may be part of future ways of working. Ensure that you have an accurate figure for the extent of your existing holdings and as good an estimate as possible of the expected accrual rate over time. Consideration of expansion space and a strategy for managing space is an important part of planning any new repository.
For more information on the importance of thinking about expansion space, see the guidance to the Archive Service Accreditation standard section 1.4 What is the minimum required duration of the occupancy/life of the new building? Should there be provision for future vertical or lateral, or both, extension on the same site?
Ensure you include a statement in relation to these considerations, and that evidence for this is provided in the business case and any briefings to architects and contractors further into the process.
Building conservation and planning considerations
If you already have a site and/or building in mind, are there any conservation or planning considerations to consider?
It is important when considering your options, to ensure you are aware of any conservation or planning considerations that will require particular conditions to be observed or which will require a process of formal public consultation.
For example, you should check whether an existing building you wish to convert is listed with Historic England. Planning regulations and listed status can have a significant impact on costs (for example, it may be necessary to bring in specialist expertise) and timetable, and potential delays should form part of risk assessments and contingency planning.
You should also think carefully about the potential ease of conversion of an existing building, and the comparable cost (including over time) of converting historic buildings in relation to more modern types.
Project timetable
What is the timetable for completion and occupancy of the building/conversion work?
You should think about how this project will affect the current service you provide and for how long. Can temporary arrangements be made for access while works are underway? What are the implications for legal access to the archives themselves, which may include Freedom of Information and Data Subject Access requests, especially if the holdings include Public Records. Consider too, the contingency plan for any delays in completion of a new repository, for example, in relation to leases or movement of other parts of your organisation into the space you will vacate. External factors should also be taken into consideration and risk assessed, with contingencies identified: examples include contractors going out of business, disruption due to the weather, and public health issues affecting the project.
Funding
Where does responsibility for funding lie?
Consider what budgetary provision is available or will need to be sought. It will also be worth considering if any sources of non-grant funding available and how are decisions about the allocation of this money are made. In addition, what external funding bodies could you apply to, and under what schemes?
You might find it helpful to look at the Grants and Funding and Generating income pages on The National Archives website. For Local Authority sector services there is also guidance on championing archives and libraries within local planning, which sets out how services can benefit from funding from the Community Infrastructure Levy and section 106 agreements.
Environmental impact
Have you assessed the environmental impact of the planned development, and considered the likely energy costs into the future? Is a more passive building possible?
Thinking about the environmental impact of any new development from the outset is important, and you may find The National Archives’ webpage on assessing environmental impact useful.
Support required
Will you be given the necessary technical, legal and logistic support throughout the process?
The archive manager, senior archivist or archive team should not be expected to have the professional expertise to plan, manage and oversee a major capital project. There will be many areas of work that will require specialist expertise that will need to be contracted in. It is also important to ensure therefore, that is it set out clearly who is responsible for which areas of work.