St. Andrews Court, Gullane Scottish Home Awards 2014 Conversion of the year
BACKGROUND The category B listed Queens Hotel of circa 1640 had always been an iconic landmark building in the centre of the village. Hotel use was no longer viable and it lay for over a decade boarded up, overgrown and dilapidated. It had become an embarrassing eyesore and danger to the village community with various parties having failed to convince planning, Historic Scotland, or themselves of a viable development opportunity. 1
PURCHASE The property was purchased in 2011 by Playfair Properties Ltd. Plans were prepared by Lorn Macneal Architects and presented to the Village Community Council, East Lothian Planning Department and Historic Scotland. They obtained spontaneous and overwhelming support. 2
DESIGN RESPONSE In respect of the village Main Street, the historic building and its frontage was sensitively adapted and restored including the addition of an extra storey with traditional dormers. Internally little was left of the historic structure, thus affording the opportunity to create sixteen totally different apartments formed by alteration and extension. In essence it was a new building contained within the historic structure that responded to all current standards in creating thermally efficient, attractive and spacious apartments with most accessed by lift from the fully restored stairwell. Externally the stonework was consolidated, and the roof refinished in sourced second hand Scotch slates with new leadwork. 3
REAR ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSION A rear extension was created in an intentionally contemporary style linking to the historic buildings creating apartments combining modern and traditional spaces. The ground levels had been reduced in order that more accommodation could be created whilst ensuring a sub serviance to the historic building structure is maintained. 4
REAR VILLAS Two new villas were created to the rear overlooking Goose Green. Again these were intentionally contemporary in their design. Each is built against the 3m historic boundary wall in order to optimise south facing garden ground and by creating first floor drawing rooms with external decks, that benefit from aspects over the Green and all day sunlight. 5
ENERGY CONSERVATION The new and existing buildings have applied high levels of insulation, with all historic windows replaced in slim line double glazing. e have worked closely with Solar and ind Applications Ltd in the provision of solar photo voltaic panels and sedum grass roofs. 6
MARKETING Playfair Properties opted to name the development St Andrews Court, given its close proximity to the ruin of St Andrews Kirk and the connotation with golf and its huge local popularity. The name has been well received. Care had been taken at he outset to ensure high levels in specification in all aspects of finish, and in turn ensure best value was elicited through sales. A sales office was established on site at the outset promoted through Simpson & Marwick and staffed by a team locally recruited by Playfair Properties which resulted in many early deposits towards sales of most apartments off plan, all assisted by CGI images and models. The range of apartments were individually designed to meet a full cross section of demands with every apartment varying from one to four bedrooms; some traditional, others contemporary or mixture of styles, some with the amenity of gardens, other with terraces or roof decks, and most accessible by lift. 7
5 LIVING / DINING MAER BED 6 5 Boiler tall unit Fridge! Freezer. /M SHR 6 7 No.6 / DINING & LIVING / DINING! & LIVING gas Þre LIVING / DINING gas Þre D/ DINING/ ORE Ground Floor ORE SHR slide SHOER! ardrobe MAER BED SHOER MAER! BED FR SHR C MAER BED Archway 7 8 LIFT PLANT LIFT EN-SUITE MAER BED. AIRELL ENTRANCE ORE 9 main entrance BED 3 Archway EN SUITE LIVING/ DINING LRD FR OVN BATH 8 9.. MAER BED TITLE TEXT LIVING/ DINING Deck over SHOER SHED 9 EXTERNAL YARD SHED 15 SHED 11 15 16 17 approved archway 15 BED 3 MAER BED BIKE ORE No 16 SHR BED 3/ UDY 18 Rooflight LIVING/ DINING 18 MAER BED ORE 8
4 3 Up EN SUITE 3 BATH slide LIVING/ DINING BED 3 FR LDR MAER BED UDY MEZZANINE (over kitchen) APARTMENT 10 MEZZANINE 16 First Floor store BATH w td MAER BED 1 store w press LIVING store LIFT 10 PRESS! Up AIRELL / DINING 11 BED 3 OVN FR / LDR DINING! Archway LIVING 10 11 BATH DRESSING MAER BED DECK EN SUITE LIVING LIVING/ DINING MAER BED 16 17 SHR EN SUITE 17 MAER BED 9
LIVING/DINING Up FR OVN 4 BALCONY UDY Up C BED 3 BED1 BATH New hatch! to loft EN SUITE BED 3 12 LIFT 13 SHR MAER BED EN SUITE N SHR OVN FR LIVING / DINING MAER BED Second Floor 12 13 10
landing ROOF TERRACE (SUNKEN) PRIVATE DECK ROOF TERRACE 13 FR ov fr tall units SHR LIFT 14 UDY/ BED 4 LOBBY fire LIVING BED 3 / DINING LDR LDR HC EN SUITE DRESSING MAER BED BED 3 EN SUITE LIVING Third Floor 12 14 13 11
SALES Prices were set at the outset varying from 250,000 to 750,000 for the apartments and 1.1m for each villa. The sale prices achieved average between 350/ftsq and 410/ftsq in line with those achieved for town house conversions in Edinburgh. The factoring arrangements have appealed to all ensuring a lifestyle that is secure and easy amongst the diverse range of individuals, couples and families, all of whom are delighted in every aspect of what St Andrews Court offers. 12
pedestrian access gate GOOSE GREEN E VILLA EA VILLA 3 4 5 6 LANDSCAPE bin store MAIN DEVELOPEMENT COMMUNAL GARDEN bin store Care has been taken in restoring the traditional lawn to the building frontage with beech hedging been planted. Private gardens have been created for all ground floor apartments which proved of huge early demand, with privacy assured with either beech hedging or larch fencing. N MAIN REET Ample car parking has been provided off driveways accesses to each side entered through new gate pillars with secure controlled access. Garaging was not a practical option and so instead each apartment has been provided with a large secure shed with power and light for bikes and golf clubs. 13
IN CONCLUSION Playfair Properties Ltd with Lorn Macneal Architects are delighted with all aspects of this development, and in particular the feeling on warmth and belonging assured by all owners, and gratitude from the Gullane Community in restoring their iconic landmark building back to where it belongs in the heart of the village. 14