Nottingham Civic Society - Mark of the Month Commendation May 2003

THE CONVENT OF MERCY, COLLEGE STREET

The project consists of a £1.8million conversion of Grade II listed former convent and nursing home to form 27 luxury residential apartments, consisting of one, two or three bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and bespoke furniture/fittings as well as the construction of a new adjacent building containing a further four apartments within the curtilage of the building itself and providing a complimentary infill street frontage to the conservation area, close to the centre of Nottingham. The involvement of the practice stemmed from the earliest possible stage as advisors to the Sisters of Mercy religious order regarding possible options for the future use of the building and thus the release of capital in a manner in-keeping with the social and spiritual conscience of the order, in our capacity as regional advisors to the Churches National Housing Coalition following the ongoing decline in membership of the sisterhood.

Through this early involvement we had the task of maximising the capital receipt to the Sisters to allow them to fund other initiatives; whilst at the same time finding a viable & sustainable use for the building fully compatible with its heritage and conservation status. Through appraisal of a range of options involving detailed negotiations with both public and private sector development organisations; in conjunction with English Heritage and Nottingham City Council planning & conservation departments, the site was purchased and has subsequently been developed by Chase Homes (Eastern) Ltd.

The building was originally designed by the renowned gothic revival architect, A.W.N. Pugin and was constructed between 1845-46 for the RC Cathedral Diocese located on the adjacent cathedral site and comprises two, three & four storey buildings arranged around a central cloistered courtyard, with a double height chapel complete with original decorative paint schemes designed by Pugin. The experience of the practice in dealing sensitively with historic buildings and the detailed knowledge gained through the early stages lead to the practice being retained by the developer client - Chase Homes (Eastern) Ltd - to carry the project through planning, listed building & conservation area consents, providing the necessary continuity to resolve the technical translation of our initial sketch proposals through detailed design & building regulations to construction in the shortest timescales through a team development and construction management approach with the client’s sister company Chase Norton Construction Ltd.

In particular, detailed architectural & conservation investigations have been undertaken & coordinated by the practice to establish the history & detail of earlier paint decoration schemes & other architectural features within the building; and the incorporation & enhancement of these as unique elements within contemporary styled interiors. The existing built form has been maintained with careful & considered alteration to ensure the various aspects relating to the spatial character of the development are able to be appreciated and enhanced, providing a unique peaceful and tranquil residential setting close to a thriving commercial city centre.

Client: Chase Homes (Eastern) Ltd, 9 College Street, Nottingham
Architect: Halsall Lloyd Partnership
(formerly Wilkinson Hindle Halsall Lloyd)

Quantity Surveyor: The Back Group, 35 Park Row, Nottingham
Structural Engineer: Howard Stanley Pratt, 1 College Street, Nottingham Services Engineer: D H Squire, 29a Plains Road, Mapperley, Nottingham -
Contractor: Chase Norton Construction, Diddington Hall, Kenilworth Road, Meriden, Warks
Contract Sum: IFC 98 - £2,153,852.00