Buxton Crescent hotel plan completes funding total

The Crescent was originally built to exploit Buxton's reputation for healing spring water

The final funding for the delayed restoration of a Grade I listed building has been secured.

The Crescent, in Buxton, Derbyshire has stood empty since 1992 and its conversion into a five star hotel has been planned for more than 10 years.

Various funding packages towards the £46m cost have been found but now the government-backed Local Enterprise Partnership has pledged the final £2m.

Developers said the two-year project could start as soon as April.

The building was designed to exploit an 18th Century interest in the area's mineral waters.

Buxton Crescent

• The Crescent was built in the 1780s by the fifth Duke of Devonshire as the centre-piece of his Georgian Spa development

• The county council took over half the building in the 1970s and used it as offices and a library

• High Peak Borough Council has owned the other half of the building since 1993

• The Natural Baths were run by High Peak Borough Council as a public swimming pool from 1937 until 1972

Source: Derbyshire County Council

Planning permission was granted in 2006 to convert the building into a 79-bedroom hotel and spa, with shops, visitor centre and tearoom.

But the project faced problems with funding and legal wrangles.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded £12.5m in 2006 and £11.3m in 2014. Along with the Local Enterprise Partnership, other funding has come from the Trevor Osborne Property Group, English Heritage, Derbyshire County Council and High Peak Borough Council.

Caitlin Bisknell, High Peak Borough Council leader, said: "A lot of people have worked long and hard to achieve this result and it's a terrific result for them, for the Crescent and for the town. I know many local people have fond memories of the former hotel and baths and are as eager as we are to see work start on restoring this iconic building and bringing it back into use."

Developer Trevor Osborne said: "It has taken a long time to get here but it is tremendous it appears to have been finalised.

"We expect this to have a really positive impact on not only the building but Buxton as a whole.

"We are now vigorously talking to contractors to get things under way."

Parts of the refurbished complex will be open to the public.