Premier Inn
Premier Inn – part of a major urban regeneration project.
Horncastle are the lead partner in Pure Urban Limited, the joint venture company, which has recently completed the development of a new landmark hotel and multi-storey car park on the East Bank of the River Hull, adjacent to Myton Bridge and Garrison Road in the City Centre of Hull.
The hotel successfully opened in July 2009 and has 136 bedrooms with ancillary facilities including a restaurant, which enjoys spectacular views over the Humber Estuary. It is built above a 232 space multi-storey car park which is supplementary to a 72 space surface car park. The hotel is leased to Whitbread Plc and operates as a Premier Inn.
Horncastle were chosen to co-ordinate all facets of the project including land assembly, demolition, the appointment and management of the Professional Team, management of commercial funding and European Regional Development Funding and delivery of the tender process, building contract, warranties and legals, and then co-ordination of all parties during the building programme including commissioning and handover.
"However, the result is absolutely fantastic and we now have the largest hotel in the city, in one of the tallest structures, in a highly prominent and convenient location, operated by the largest hotel chain the UK."
"The development should be a great boost for business and tourism in the region, particularly as it is located adjacent to The Deep and in close proximity to the City’s other principal tourist attractions. Once the iconic footbridge opens in June 2010, it is difficult to imagine how we could have realised a better outcome".
The hotel has created the equivalent of 30 full time jobs. John Holmes, Chief Executive of Hull Forward comments “it has been a pleasure to work with Pure Urban Limited on this project and it’s pleasing to see the vision become a reality, adding a much needed new hotel to Hull”.
Innovative techniques were used in the construction process, including significant elements of off-site construction. Floor levels 8 to 13 are formed using modular units, which were substantially pre-fitted in a factory environment prior to installation. In total, there are 72 units forming the majority of the bedroom accommodation.
This project also demonstrated the importance of working in partnership and the ability to work with multiple agencies as it involved working closely with all key public sector partners, including Hull City Council, Hull Forward, Yorkshire Forward, The European Regional Development Funding Agency and the Environment and Highway Agency, together with an extended Professional Team, who had the necessary expertise on important projects of this scale and value. There was also a need to work closely with the operator, Premier Inn, and their Professional Team to deliver a facility to meet their requirements.
Andrew Horncastle comments “This project was a complex one but it was one that showcased the Horncastle approach to development. Horncastle’s approach to delivery is about far more than just buildings and sites, it is about creating the right space for the client and the ability to make that space happen with partners, within budget and to agreed timescales. That is why businesses, like Premier Inn choose to work with Horncastle.”
In addition, Horncastle also promoted the delivery of a significant item of new infrastructure in the form of an iconic £6m footbridge, which has been commissioned via Yorkshire Forward and will link the East Bank area directly into the City Centre.
The hotel, multi-storey car park and footbridge are anticipated to be the catalyst for the redevelopment of the East Bank, regarded as one of the most important regeneration projects in the City.
Ian Hodges, Director of Horncastle comments "This was an extremely challenging project for us and our team, particularly as we had to deliver it through the economic recession and the crisis in the financial sector."
