High Peak Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council have today announced that The Trevor Osborne Property Group Limited will be the developer for the £23m Crescent and Spa project in partnership with C. P. Holdings Limited.
“We are delighted to have finally selected our developer” said Councillor Geoff Carlile, Chair of the Joint Crescent Committee, which is made up of Derbyshire County Council and High Peak Borough Council. “We have been through a thorough evaluation exercise which was monitored and approved by the Heritage Lottery Fund. We now look forward to working with Trevor Osborne’s team to prepare the final proposals for The Heritage Lottery Fund and other funders. We are keen to get work underway so that the Crescent and Spa can be restored to its former glory, open to the public and providing a 21st century spa facility of the highest quality which will enhance the whole of Buxton and be a credit to Derbyshire.”

The whole project is expected to cost approximately £23,000,000. There is a considerable amount of work required to work up the detailed bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund. If the bid is successful, the current work programme envisages that construction will start on site in 2005 and be completed in 2007. The Heritage Lottery Fund has already provided £497,000 to the two Councils to pay for specialist consultants so that the proposals can be developed in a way that is sympathetic to the outstanding architectural quality of the buildings.

“Re-establishing the Spa in Buxton will provide opportunities for many existing and new businesses in the High Peak, as Buxton becomes recognised as a health and lifestyle Spa Town.” said Councillor David Lomax, the Leader of High Peak Borough Council. “If all goes according to plan, Buxton will open its Spa to the public in 2007. This allows three years to prepare the infrastructure and work with businesses to ensure that we are ready to enjoy maximum benefit from this exciting project.”

Proposals from two bidders were received at the end of August and have been rigorously evaluated by the two councils and their independent consultants to ensure that a robust scheme, that meets conservation standards and is both viable and sustainable, goes forward to the Heritage Lottery Fund for grant funding. Previous public consultation gave massive support to the repair and refurbishment of the Crescent and Spa and to the uses which are now proposed. The Councils advertised the opportunity to undertake the project throughout Europe and two bidders were asked to work up detailed proposals for further consideration by the Councils and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The details of the two bids were commercially confidential. The appointed developer, the Trevor Osborne Property Group, and the two councils will place the proposals on public exhibition.

Trevor Osborne, Chairman of the Trevor Osborne Property Group said:
“The proposals have been developed in great detail with emphasis on the design of the Spa facilities to create a unique thermal spa experience. We will be working with Europe’s leading spa hotel operator, Danubius Hotel and Spa r.t., who will manage the property. When the hotel and spa is opened, it is likely to be the first genuine thermal spa hotel to open its doors in the United Kingdom in over a century. I am glad that our submission has been accepted after rigorous scrutiny and we are ready to go forward energetically with our partners and other participants to restore the historic heart of Buxton, breathing new life into the magnificent Crescent, Assembly Rooms and Spa buildings - in effect, restoring Buxton’s crowning glory.”

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