Nicholas Grimshaw’s threatened Ship building in
Plymouth has been saved from demolition.
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The Ship Grimshaw
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The former Western Morning News headquarters has been
sold to a Devon developer which has promised to reuse it as offices for small
businesses.
The distinctive building was owned until this week by
the Daily Mail & General Trust which had threatened to bulldoze it as no
longer fit for its purposes.
Historic England recommended it for listing at grade
II* on the advice of the Twentieth Century Society, but the report is still
sitting in the inbox of the new culture secretary.
Henrietta Billings, senior conservation adviser at
C20 Society, welcomed the news that contracts had been exchanged.
“The fact the new owner is making positive noises
about the listing ahead of the minister’s decision is a really good thing, as
is the fact they have a much more positive attitude to the building than the
previous owners who wanted to demolish it,” she said.
Burrington Estates, which made a name for itself
working with historic buildings, will rename the Ship the Spirit of Enterprise
and turn it into a “Thrive Hub” offering flexible workspaces to entrepreneurs
and growing businesses. It hopes to roll the model out into other cities.
Chairman Mark Edworthy welcomed the listing bid and
said: “Saving Plymouth’s glass Ship building marks an investment of £5 million
and we look forward to working alongside Plymouth City Council to ensure The
Ship reaches its full potential within the city.”
Co-founder Paul Scantlebury said: “Burrington Estates
has a strong track record in delivering large-scale construction and renovation
projects, preserving the heritage of sites like Dean Clarke House, once the
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, and now a pride of the city rather than a
derelict, unloved site.
“In Ivybridge, we hope to create a new heart of the
community, with a sensitive but ambitious multi-use housing and retail
development at the historic Stowford Mill, while retaining the heritage of the
site.
“Meanwhile, in Plymouth, we have taken Ocean Crescent
and transformed it into a stylish and sought-after apartment building and
continue to develop Burrington Business Park into a thriving place to do business.”
Source: bd online.
13 May 2015
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