Walsingham Planning secured planning permission and listed building consent for a high-end hotel and leisure redevelopment at Thomas Hall in Exeter. The house, which sits within landscaped gardens and parkland, was previously used as a student hall of residence from the 1930s but had fallen into disrepair in recent years after being used for general storage and the servicing of equipment.
The brief included the submission and negotiation of planning and listed building consent in order to allow development to proceed. The £12m project was a joint venture between the University of Exeter and Leander Developments Limited.
Conversion and extension of the 17th century building provided a large Hotel and Conference Centre providing 97 bedrooms, conference and restaurant facilities. The project, employing 85 people full-time, would provide a major boost to local tourism.
The Local Planning Authority initially resisted the proposals which required the sensitive extension of the existing Listed Building to secure a viable Hotel re-use. However, following very detailed negotiations with the Council and a number of amendments to the scheme the proposals for approved.