Norfolk House, off Silbury Boulevard in Milton Keynes, to be converted into a 124-bed boutique hotel.
The planning application, which was submitted in August 2017, will enable 27,000 sq ft within the four storey building to be converted from office to hotel use, with 40,000 sq ft remaining as offices.
CEG has managed Norfolk, and the adjacent Ashton House, since 2014. The company has overseen a £3.5million investment to refurbish Ashton House, creating a new café, break-out work space and Grade A corporate offices.
Richard Brook, Investment Manager at CEG, said: “The addition of a hotel use at this site will create a more active mix of uses and will make a positive contribution to improving the vitality of the town centre.”
The limited external works proposed to the 1970’s glazed building as part of the hotel conversion would respect the existing design and character of the building. A boutique hotel operator has agreed to let this part of Norfolk House on a long term basis.
Assisting with the planning application, DLA prepared a Design and Access Statement to set out how the hotel conversion can be accommodated within the building with minimum changes to the external fabric. Will Cousins, Design Director at DLA, explained: “This is an important proposal to create a new use for one of the MK’s key architectural assets and to provide important hotel accommodation to serve the growing needs of Central Milton Keynes”
Norfolk House and Ashton House were designed by Milton Keynes Development Corporation’s own team of architects during the construction of the new town. Located just a few minutes’ walk from the train station and main shopping hub, they are famed for the adjacent Grade II listed ‘Octo’ sculpture by Wendy Taylor.
