Latest news with #MarkBraund
The Sun
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Abandoned UK landmark bought for £1 is getting £20MILLION transformation to ‘bring 1960s vibe' back to city centre
A DERELICT building in a city centre is being given some much-needed love and attention - with plans to turn it into 140 new homes. An ambitious architect is set to transform the landmark structure and add a retro vibe. The building has been Grade II listed since 2007 and now it's time for a £20m makeover. The former Civic Centre in Plymouth is due to be turned into a thriving residential area boasting urban loft-style living. The 14-storey property has seen no life in it since council staff left the premises in 2015. There are big plans for the iconic building, which was first opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962. Plymouth City Council - who previously bought the site back from developers in 2024 for £1 - is ploughing in £20m from Homes England to start work on the redevelopment. Building Design Partnership (BDP) have started on plans to resurrect the building, where Plymouth City College will set up a campus on the bottom two floors. Mark Braund, architect director at BDP, said: "It's an amazing urban loft-style living with exposed surfaces. "That's our ambition that we'd like to achieve with this building - a really unique product for Plymouth. "There are amazing views out over the city and we want to capitalise on all of that 1960s vibe this building has - we just need to bring it back out." BDP who are behind projects including the University of Plymouth's Roland Levinsky building and 2013's Theatre Royal regeneration project. That was NOT on my bingo card' say TV fans as huge US star is spotted on very normal UK holiday to Plymouth Plymouth City Council's Mark Lowry, added: "I think we can give people some confidence. We've got a very ambitious programme to bring this building back to life. "We've now got the right architect in place, we've got City College on the ground floors of this building and we're bringing it forward for residential opportunities in the coming years." It's thought it will take between five to six years to complete the project. It comes after Plymouth's Tinside Lido was named one of the best in Europe. The website boasts you can 'dive into the iconic 1935 art-deco outdoor saltwater pool, set against the stunning backdrop of Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. Locals may want to add the summer solstice event on June 21 to their diaries. This will open at 4:30am for swimmers who want to watch the sunrise in spectacular style. The lido first opened in 1935 and is celebrating its 90th birthday this year. 2
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Architect aims to return '1960s vibe' to iconic Plymouth building
The new architect appointed to transform a landmark derelict building into 140 new homes is aiming to bring back the "1960s vibe".The Civic Centre in Plymouth, which was first opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962, has been empty since council staff left the premises in 2015.A previous plan to renovate the 14-storey building was abandoned and Plymouth City Council bought the site back from developers Urban Splash in 2024 for £ City Council now has £20m from Homes England to start work on the site and has appointed Building Design Partnership (BDP) to come up with a new plan to rejuvenate the building which has been Grade II listed since 2007. Plymouth City College struck a deal with the council in 2024 to set up a campus on the bottom two floors of the Braund, architect director at BDP, said the building offered an incredible said: "It's an amazing urban loft-style living with exposed surfaces. That's our ambition that we'd like to achieve with this building - a really unique product for Plymouth."There are amazing views out over the city and we want to capitalise on all of that 1960s vibe this building has - we just need to bring it back out."BDP has worked on previous Plymouth projects including the University of Plymouth's Roland Levinsky building and the Theatre Royal regeneration project completed in 2013. The Civic Centre was a central part of the rebuilding of the city centre following the devastating bombing across the city in the Second World Lowry, city centre champion at Plymouth City Council, said the Civic Centre was "so important to our regeneration story".He said: "I think we can give people some confidence. We've got a very ambitious programme to bring this building back to life."We've now got the right architect in place, we've got City College on the ground floors of this building and we're bringing it forward for residential opportunities in the coming years."A new planning application is expected to be submitted later this year as detail from the original application has on stripping out the building is continuing and the council said it could take between five and six years to complete the redevelopment.
