Case studies

Portsmouth

We acquired an off market site from Tesco in 2004 which also had an adjacent site with planning for office use which was bought in addition to enable us to have a 108 room hotel with parking and room for expansion.

We were responsible for obtaining planning permission and building regulation approval, and the detailed design of the hotel. This was built in volumetric or 'pod' design and As a result the whole hotel was completed including all interior design and fittings in 36 weeks from order.

The hotel traded so well that we then applied for an extension to take it to 150 rooms. The development was then subject to a Sale and Leaseback to Commercial Union on a 35 year institutional lease.

Bournemouth

This was a property owned by Hilton who had sold it on as part of a mixed scheme to a local developer in 2004. We negotiated to extract the hotel from the other areas but to incorporate the redesign and redevelopment of it to fit in with the other commercial areas retained by the developer.

This was a listed building and we worked with the architects and designers to completely change the style and standard to a 4 star Golden Tulip Hotel, with upgraded bars, restaurant and conference areas.

Dublin Airport

Negotiated purchase of a Green field site in 2004, 1 mile from the airport from a local landowner.

Planning permission was then obtained for 156 room hotel and found the funding from a construction firm.

Designed and developed the project in a joint venture with the builders and subsequently obtained outline permission to add a double deck to the car park and a further 40 rooms.

Throughout this we had to deal with all the unfamiliarity's of the Irish legal and development system but successfully delivered the hotel on time with a sale and leaseback for a 30 year institutional lease.

We also added on an independent restaurant which was sub-leased to a tenant with his own car parking.