Compulsory Purchase News

One of the Midlands’ leading surveyors has advised WCG on an ambitious multi-million pound bid to transform a derelict Grade II listed Georgian-styled mansion into a national training hotel.

Andrew Chapman of Midlands-based property consultancy, FHP, has provided specialist valuation advice in support of WCG’s stage two application to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Moreton Hall in Warwickshire.

WCG is planning to undertake a comprehensive restoration and refurbishment of the much-loved historic building in Moreton Morrell that still bears the scars of a devastating fire in 2008. Expected to cost in the region of £8.5 million, if the application to The National Lottery Heritage Fund is successful, the project would see the creation of a boutique hotel environment, giving students the opportunity to work alongside professionals in their field.

Andrew Chapman, Director, FHP, said: “This was a highly complex valuation project due to the listed nature of the building and its location within a Special Landscape Area, where development is typically constrained. One of the main challenges in restoring a property like Moreton Hall is in ensuring that the building can not only be made fit for purpose within an acceptable budget, but that refurbishment is carried out in a way that does justice to what is an important regional landmark. Working closely with WCG’s designated project team, we are pleased to have reached a valuation that is both logical and sits within a wider body of market evidence. We hope that the application is successful in securing Moreton Hall’s long-term viability.”

John King, project manager, WCG said: “We knew we needed somebody with sufficient experience who would not adopt a ‘painting by numbers’ approach to what was a challenging valuation, with little or no direct comparison from which to draw upon. We identified Andrew Chapman as the best person to assist us and are grateful for his skill and professionalism in arriving at a justifiable valuation that we believe bears scrutiny. We want to restore this iconic building and create a much needed high quality training venue, capable of providing the next generation of skilled employees in the hospitality and tourism industry. We are hopeful of receiving further support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to enable our vision for The Moreton Hall Hotel Training School to become a reality.”

Moreton Hall is sited on land within the Moreton Morrell Conservation Area, part of an ancient settlement first mentioned in the Domesday Book. The Hall was designed by the society architect and decorator W H Romaine-Walker on behalf of Charles Tuller Garland, son of the co-founder of the National City Bank in New York. Completed in 1908, the Palladian-style Hall included extensive landscaped grounds overlooking the River Avon, with a blue garden, rockeries, a sunken Italianate garden and a polo school.

Although some remedial works were undertaken in the aftermath of a fire, which lasted three days, the once lavishly appointed Moreton Hall suffered millions of pounds of damage, making it unusable in its current state. First used as a training facility as far back as 1939, plans to restore the Hall to its former glory are part of a larger expansion of WCG’s education programmes within its Centre for Hospitality, Heritage and Tourism Skills.

FHP is one of the largest private commercial property consultancies in the Midlands, with six offices located in Nottingham, Derby and Birmingham. Andrew Chapman has previously advised Rushcliffe Borough Council in its application for Heritage Lottery Funding for the redevelopment of the 250-year-old Bridgford Hall. He has also provided specialist valuation advice upon a wide variety of matters including Nottingham Forest Football Club and the entire property portfolio of the University of Nottingham.

For more information please contact Andrew Chapman on 0115 841 1136 / 07887 787 883 or andrew@fhp.co.uk.

Date: 29^th January 2020

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