Buxton Crescent Hotel – Project Progress Update
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HIGH PEAK BOROUGH COUNCIL Individual Executive Decision for comment Please respond with any comments by 3 June 2020 to [email protected] Date of Decision 4 June 2020 TITLE: Buxton Crescent Hotel – Project Progress Update EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR: Councillor McKeown - Council Leader HPBC CONTACT OFFICER: Neil Rodgers - Executive Director (Place) WARDS INVOLVED: Buxton Central; 1. Reason for the Report 1.1 To provide members with a summary of progress of the restoration works and likely opening timetable for the Buxton Crescent Hotel, in particular in light of the impacts of COVID-19. 2. Recommendation 2.1 The Leader is asked to note the update on the progress of the Crescent project and outstanding issue around the leases and legal arrangements for the project. 3. Executive Summary 3.1 The Council has been working with partners over a number of years to restore the Crescent, Natural Baths and Pump Room to deliver a spa hotel and visitor attraction for Buxton. The project is very nearly complete and whilst scheduled opening of the hotel had been targeted for May / June this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in inevitable delays to the programme. 3.2 Internal and external works to the Hotel are virtually complete. The contractors Vinci have remained on site to work through snagging items and any outstanding works that can be undertaken safely, and within Government guidelines on distancing. This has restricted the nature of the tasks that can be undertaken. However the Hotel would be in a position to open relatively quickly, following a decision taken to do so. 3.3 The Council’s legal consultants, Gowling WLG (UK) continue to provide advice on the leases. A number of issues are being worked through in order to reach a position whereby the leases can be completed. These issues include agreeing a Landlords Management Plan, finalising a Public Access Policy, approving works to the Pavilion Garden car park, and ensuring satisfactory condition of the Pump Room. 3.4 There is no current opening date proposed for the Hotel. The date will be determined by a number of key factors, including when the government’s five tests are met enabling an ease of the lockdown restrictions, the social distancing requirements that will remain at that point, and the Hotel’s assessment of the state of the travel and leisure market. 4. How this report links to Corporate Priorities 4.1 Opening of the Buxton Crescent Hotel will have implications for: Aim Three: To protect and create jobs by supporting economic growth, development and regeneration 5. Alternative Options 5.1 Option 1 (recommended) – that Councillors note the detail of the progress update. There are no further options. Neil Rodgers Executive Director (Place) Web Links and Contact details Background Papers https://buxtoncrescent.com/ Joanna Bagnall [email protected] 6. Detail Background 6.1 The project involves the renovation and restoration of the Crescent, Natural Baths, Pump Room and the Old Bakery. 6.2 The Crescent was built between 1780 and 1789. It was the centrepiece of the Fifth Duke of Devonshire’s plans to establish a fashionable Georgian spa town in Buxton. The Crescent is a Grade I listed building and is one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the country. 6.3 The Natural Baths were built in 1853. The building sits over Buxton’s thermal natural mineral water spring. The Pump Room, where the public went to “take the waters”, was built in 1894. Both are Grade II listed buildings. 6.4 The Old Bakery is a small building (unlisted) behind the Crescent on George Street. Its freehold is owned by High Peak Borough Council, as is the car park in Pavilion Gardens, part of which is to be used for hotel parking. Scope of the project 6.5 The project includes provision of the following key elements: An 81-bedroom, luxury spa hotel occupying the majority of the Crescent. It will be one of only two genuine thermal spa hotels in the UK. A thermal, natural mineral water spa in the Natural Baths. A visitor attraction in the Pump Room, and in dedicated rooms of the ground floor and basement of the Crescent, which will present Buxton’s spa heritage. A programme of events will allow public access to the Assembly Rooms for a number of days each year. Included within the 81 hotel bedrooms are two heritage bedrooms, which will also be made available for the public to view on a limited number of days during the year. Six small retail units in the front, ground floor of the Crescent. An enhanced setting to the buildings incorporating a new water feature to the Crescent’s front forecourt. Dedicated hotel car parking for approximately 66 cars to be provided in the rear part of the undercroft car park in the Pavilion Gardens. Key project partners 6.6 Buxton Crescent Limited (BCL) has been established as the company to deliver the Crescent Hotel project and, following the granting of a long lease by the Councils, to manage it on completion of the renovation and restoration works. The company is jointly owned by CP Holdings and the Trevor Osborne Property Group Ltd. 6.7 Buxton Crescent Ltd has appointed the company Ensana to operate the hotel. Ensana is Europe’s largest health spa operator. 6.8 Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust (the Trust) has been established to operate the visitor attraction and the Tourist Information Centre in the Pump Room. Project costs 6.9 Total development costs are circa £70million. Public funding has been secured to cover the specific, non-commercial cost of works arising from the sensitive heritage and architectural importance of the buildings. Public funding has included: £1.1m from High Peak Borough Council £13.4m from Derbyshire County Council £23.8 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund £2.0 million grant from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership £0.6 million from Historic England 6.10 Derbyshire County Council has in addition provided a commercial loan to Buxton Crescent Ltd of £11.3m. 6.11 Buxton Crescent Limited is funding the balance of the costs. Progress 6.12 The main works commenced in February 2016 with Vinci Construction UK Ltd acting as the principal contractor. These are now almost complete. Details are provided in the paragraphs below. The Pump Room 6.13 The restored Pump Room opened as a visitor information point and venue for events in March 2019. However there are some outstanding issues that remain to be resolved. 6.14 The building suffers from damp and whilst action has been taken, the situation will need to be monitored to establish if remedial works have been succesful in preventing further water ingress. If so, the building may dry out naturally over the long term. 6.15 Investigations to improve levels of heating within the building are ongoing. Recorded levels of radon gas within the Pump Room have been a concern. Design options for a roof fan are being consdered that would be both sympathetic to the heritage nature of the building, and help to suppress the radon. 6.16 Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust will lease the Pump Room from Buxton Crescent Limited and will take responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the building. Before signing an underlease agreement, the Trust will need to be content that the heating, damp and radon concerns have been satisfactorily resolved. In the event that this is not the case, the lease should be suitably amended to clarify that these issues remain with the developer to address. The Crescent 6.17 Vinci remain on site, working their way through outstanding works and snagging items, whilst complying with Government guidance on social distancing. This has restricted the nature of tasks that can be undertaken safely. However the hotel interior is considered virtually complete. 6.18 Outstanding issues include significant dampness evident in first and second floor corridor walls, resulting in widespread de-bonding of wallpaper in these areas. All affected wallpaper is to be removed and the walls re-lined with lining paper, pending a decision on a new finish. The pause created by the COVID-19 restrictions may permit additional drying out to occur before new, breathable wallpaper is applied. In addition, remedial works to the damaged basement corridor and kitchen floors have not yet been completed. 6.19 Small items for the bedrooms have been delivered and are in storage until they can be fitted. Some joinery work remains to be completed. Soft furnishings are waiting for the fit out suppliers to be in a position to return to work safely. Cutlery, glassware and china will be ordered once an opening date is known. 6.20 The scheduled date for delivering IT network / internet connection for the hotel has been cancelled by BT in favour of critical infrastructure works elsewhere. A revised installation date will need to be agreed. Natural Baths / Spa 6.21 The Spa works are almost complete. The order of the mud oven from Germany is currently on hold, the oven will need to be fitted on arrival and the mud preparation area finished off. External works 6.22 The resin bonded gravel works to the Crescent forecourt and rear have been completed. Refurbished carriage lamps have been fitted to the front of the building. 6.23 Highway improvement works have been agreed with the Highways Authority and it is intended that the hoardings will remain in place until these works have been completed. The road will become one-way in front of the Crescent and will be re-shaped to achieve a car free forecourt.