Buxton Crescent restoration wins double at prestigious industry awards

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) honoured the Buxton Crescent Hotel and Thermal Spa Project with its East Midlands heritage and refurbishment prizes on Wednesday, May 18.

The project involved the restoration and conservation of the Grade I listed Crescent, built between 1780-89 by the Fifth Duke of Devonshire in his plans to establish a Georgian spa town.

One of the most architecturally significant buildings in the country, the painstaking restoration process took years to complete but in 2020 it reopened as an 81 bedroom luxury spa hotel, a unique thermal mineral water spa, a visitor experience and six shops, which owners the Trevor Osborne Property Group and CP Holdings Ltd hope will ensure a sustainable future.

judges said of the project: “Lying derelict for decades, this building which sits at the real heart of the town has been restored in a sympathetic but also modern way to recreate a major attraction to this Derbyshire spa town. It is also a catalyst for wider town and regional regeneration.”

The RICS Awards showcase the most inspirational initiatives and developments in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. They recognise outstanding achievement, teamwork and companies. The regional winners have now been shortlisted for the national awards, taking place in October.

Sally Walters, who chaired the judging panel, said: “These winning projects are a true testament to the hard work of property professionals in the East Midlands. The pandemic has led to the industry facing much uncertainty and challenging conditions, but we were delighted, and very proud, to see such innovative building projects appearing across our cities and towns.

“The teams behind them have worked tirelessly and with incredible vision to create projects which provide tremendous benefit across a diverse range of areas. Through collaborating with other professionals, local surveyors have shown that they have the talent to deliver exemplary and, in many cases, world-class built projects.”

She added: “The RICS is elated to recognise skills and dedication that the teams behind these projects had in ensuring successful delivery and making a positive impact across the East Midlands.”

For more information on the awards, go to www.rics.org/uk/training-events/rics-awards/uk-awards.

“In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together.” – Louise Cooper, editor.