Newsletter - Links - Advertise - Contact Us - Privacy
 

Newburgh hotel homes in on residential-led transformation

January 13 2017

Newburgh hotel homes in on residential-led transformation
The Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, is set for significant redevelopment following submission of plans to reduce the main hotel building to 12 en-suite rooms and the development of new housing in its grounds.

Michael Gilmour Associates are leading the design which will entail demolition of low quality 20th century extensions and conversion of disconnected Victorian outbuildings into private houses and a further five new build townhouses.

This latter element will make use of blue-grey brick basecourse with smooth white render to the main walls and zinc cladding to the upper level.

In their design statement the architects said: “The materials palette of the new build terraced houses to the eastern area of the site is intended to reflect contemporary building technology and emphasise the difference from the existing traditional buildings on site, and at the same time to be responsive to their location and context in the choice of colours and textures.”

The reduced hotel, down from 33 guest rooms, will be marketed as a 5* boutique in addition to a new bar and restaurant.
The main body of the hotel and a connecting coach house will remain in use as a hotel
The main body of the hotel and a connecting coach house will remain in use as a hotel

5 Comments

Aberdeen Architect
#1 Posted by Aberdeen Architect on 13 Jan 2017 at 16:10 PM
What is this crap? Seriously?

Look at the white render business park / PFI clinic / primary school / office nonsense proposed.

There are decent firms in Aberdeen fighting an uphill battle to do decent stuff, but the usual suspects get all commissions of any size, and proceed to make an a**e out of every single one of them with their lack of design ability, or any knowledge of context or appropriateness. That's what makes the news.

I'm moving to Dundee.
Philip
#2 Posted by Philip on 13 Jan 2017 at 18:39 PM
He's right you know....
Local loon
#3 Posted by Local loon on 14 Jan 2017 at 21:08 PM
These proposed new building make the previous crap look award-winning and well designed. Gipes!
basho
#4 Posted by basho on 16 Jan 2017 at 10:36 AM
Is there a huge demand in Aberdeenshire to live in buildings resembling small health centres? We should be told.
Seriously - are the above images for real?
Richard Slater
#5 Posted by Richard Slater on 16 Jan 2017 at 15:06 PM
Having read the design statement I can see that this development could really benefit the community. The retention of a hotel, with public bar and restaurant at the heart of the town is likely to be appreciated locally. 5 new houses and the re-use of 2 older houses sitting directly on the high street, will also add to the community.

The move away from cheap hotel accommodation aimed at the oil industry has also to be commended I think, and Newburgh is a great location for this with the surrounding golf courses, historic sites and coastline etc. The retention and refurbishment of the existing buildings, which are substantial and of good quality, is also a bonus.

There are also the technical issues of flooding in the local area that appear to be addressed by this proposal, which I think should be commended, however cynically you could look at it.

Personally I really like the idea of living in a crisp white rendered house over-looking an estuary and a golf course. There are similar scale developments in this area which have gone for a semi-vernacular series of pitched roofs which feel a little bit weak to me. This development of 5 houses is unashamedly modern, intentionally contrasting the traditional buildings of the hotel. But they are set to the rear, at a lower level so as to be subservient to the existing buildings.

I would commend the architects involved. (I was not involved)

I would also note that I do not see Michael Gilmour Associates as one of the 'usual suspects' in Aberdeen. A company should not be criticised for having multiple projects.

Anyone planning to move to Dundee because of this project should remember to take the chip on the shoulder with them when they leave.

Post your comments

 

All comments are pre-moderated and
must obey our house rules.

 

Back to January 2017

Search News
Subscribe to Urban Realm Magazine
Features & Reports
For more information from the industry visit our Features & Reports section.