'The relative inaccessibility of our retail unit has resulted in the loss of customers to similar but accessible stores.We have a commercial need to maximise our customer base and thus our revenue. In addition the existing access provisions within our store may leave us vulnerable to civil action under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

'Our aim is to deliver well-designed and constructed quality buildings that fulfil the principals of functionality, build-quality, efficiency and sustainability. To achieve this we must maximise the access provisions within our store.

In doing this we will increase customer numbers, increase the efficiency with which our existing customers shop, reduce the risk of future civil action under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and be able to publicly and privately brand ourselves as a morally and socially exemplar organisation'.

Our intention is to exceed the 'minimum' access standards defined by Part M of the Building Regulations and other mandatory documentation. Our goal is to achieve best practice aspirational access standards for all design, construction and operational aspects of our new store'.

Our high level design and construction requirements are the full integration of the relevant best practice access standards across the four areas collectively representing high quality access:

• The urban environment - getting to the building
• The structure and fabric
• Information and equipment
• Our staff

Option 1: Refurbishment of the town-centre site - key considerations:

• Reduced site footprint demands that the multistorey configuration is retained
• Changes in levels and spaces has implications for way-finding and circulation reducing the efficiency of shopping
• Availability of public car parking reduced. Increased reliance placed on public transport
• Shorter journey

Option 2: New out of town development - key considerations:

• New site give opportunities for a 'from scratch' single storey design allowing high levels of access to be more easily achieved
• Ample parking and opportunities for extension of the local public transport infrastructure
• Longer journey development of any outline design where appropriate
• Contribution to and review of the contractors emerging design
• On-site monitoring of construction activities
• Occupational review and assistance

The two procurement options currently under consideration are 'Traditional' and 'Design and Build'. If a Traditional route is chosen, then the independently appointed Access Champion will contribute to the design, construction and occupation processes through independent and sequential contributions to the process. These contributions can be summarised as:

• Assistance in the development of the design and construction brief
• Contribution to and review of the emerging design
• On-site monitoring of construction activities
• Occupational review and assistance

If a Design and Build route is chosen, we will maintain the involvement of an independently appointed Access Champion throughout the lifetime of the project.We will also make it a condition of the contractor's design and build contract that they appoint an appropriately skilled Access Champion within their own design team.

The contributions of our own Access Champion can be summarised as:

• Detailed assistance in the development of the design and construction brief including the development of any outline design where appropriate
• Contribution to and review of the contractors emerging design
• On-site monitoring of construction activities
• Occupational review and assistance

Whilst designing to best practice standards may be marginally more costly in bottom line terms, the enhanced commercial, legal and moral benefits will in turn enhance value for money.

Whichever procurement route is chosen, we will maintain the involvement of an independently appointed Access Champion who contractually will operate independently of either the client's design team or the contractor's team.

The Access Champion will liase and integrate fully with the clients team but shall provide independent reports on access issues that shall be issued directly to the clients as required.

The development shall be designed and constructed in an inclusive manner allowing people with all forms of disabilities to gain full access.

The scheme shall be adaptable to maintain high quality access in the event of:

• Minor changes by the occupants in the way the building is used on a day to day basis. This shall include changes that are made for operational reasons and for this reason full consultation with the end users will be required
• More significant expansion or refurbishment

'The relative inaccessibility of our retail unit has resulted in the loss of customers to similar but accessible stores.We have a commercial need to maximise our customer base and thus our revenue. In addition the existing access provisions within our store may leave us vulnerable to civil action under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

'Our aim is to deliver well-designed and constructed quality buildings that fulfil the principals of functionality, build-quality, efficiency and sustainability. To achieve this we must maximise the access provisions within our store.

In doing this we will increase customer numbers, increase the efficiency with which our existing customers shop, remove the risk of future civil action under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and be able to publicly and privately brand ourselves as a morally and socially exemplar organisation'.

The Access Champion (traditional scenario)

Project structure:

• Directly appointed (i.e. is employed and paid) by the employer
• Reports to the employer on an independent basis
• Works with the design team and feeds day to day contributions directly to them.

Responsibilities:

• Refer to 'The role of the Access Champion'
• May or may not actually undertake design, depending on circumstances (may be limited to advising and critiquing designers work).

Decision making authority

• Design authority usually limited to reporting on designers proposals and construction observations.

In respect of the provision for access within the new building, it is our intention to design and construct to best practice aspirational access standards for all elements of our new store. In particular the guidance set out in the following two documents are indicative of the level of provision that we wish to achieve:

• British Standard 8300:2001 - The design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people
• Greenfield Council's 'Access and facilities for people with disabilities - Supplementary Planning Guidance No.2'.

Parking

Parking shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following standards:

• British Standard 8300: 2001 -The Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people - code of practice.

It shall comply generally with section 4 car parking, setting down and garaging and specifically with the following sections:

• 4.1.2 - provision of designated parking spaces
• 4.1.2.3 - Shopping, recreation and leisure facilities
• 4.1.3 0 - Off-street parking, garaging and enclosed parking
• 4.1.3.1 - Uncovered parking areas
• 4.1.3.2 - Design and layout of designated off street parking spaces (including figure 2).

Decorative finishes

Colour schemes shall be selected and specified in accordance with the guidance contained within:

• 'A design guide for the use of colour and contrast to improve the built environment for visually impaired people' published by ICI Paints

Internal Steps

Internal steps shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the Approved Document M (1999 edition) to the Building Regulations 1991 as follows:

The basic design shall meet Part M2 Section 2: Means of access within buildings other than dwellings - Internal Stairs 2.19 - 2.21 including diagram 12

• The design of the internal steps shall be enhanced by designing the internal steps to also meet Part M2 Section 1: Means of access to and into buildings other than dwellings - Stepped approach 1.24 a,b,h and diagram 2

(N.B: Part M of the Building regulations is currently under review. The focus of the revised Part M is likely to be on access to and use of buildings by everyone rather than by disabled people.)

The project structure generally operated satisfactorily. However if the Access Champion had been appointed independently, rather than as a sub consultant to the architect, the design review process by the Access Champion would have had a greater transparency and clarity to the remainder of the project team. In future we shall appoint Access Champions independently.

Although the detailed design brief made general reference to the needs of people with visual impairments, their specific requirements were not stipulated in detail. As a result we have a reception desk that is back-lit by south-facing structural glazing this casting the faces of the receptionists into deep shadow on bright days. In future we need to accurately specify the design requirements of all disabled people.

We have seen an increase in visitor numbers as a result of our enhanced access provisions and this has made a substantial contribution to our primary business need of increasing revenue. In particular improving the integration of our building with the local transport infrastructure has had a major impact. On future projects we should further enhance investment in this particular area.