Novus Property Solutions has been awarded the contract to deliver the two stage refurbishment of The Gower, a Grade II listed former school located in St George’s, Telford.
The contract was awarded to Novus by Nuplace Ltd, a wholly owned company of Telford & Wrekin Council, focussed on the development and letting of homes for rent. The project will see the historic building refurbished for community use, including office space alongside homes for rent. New houses will also be built to the rear of the existing building.
Pre-construction services began in December 2020 and are expected to continue until October 2021, immediately followed by the construction period which is anticipated to take around a year to complete.
Ed Wootton, head of operations at Novus, said: “This is the first time Novus has worked for Nuplace or Telford & Wrekin Council so we are really pleased to have been trusted with the refurbishment of this important historic building. Through this two stage project The Gower building will be repurposed into new facilities, while its historic character is preserved and enhanced.
“We will be working with Nuplace, the Parish Council and Telford and Wrekin Council throughout this refurbishment in order to support all of its required outcomes. We have specially selected a team comprising WYG, ABA and TACE based on their experience working on two stage projects, listed buildings and refurbishments both internally and externally, to complete this project.”
Director of Nuplace, Kate Callis said: “Nuplace fully recognises that The Gower is an extremely iconic asset in the local community and we are excited to work with Novus and the Parish Council to bring forward a scheme which not only protects the historic building but also finds an appropriate use. This investment to bring forward new community facilities and brand new quality housing will ensure that there is a long term future for the building.
“We look forward to consulting with the local community in the coming months to ensure that the community space is built and designed to benefit residents in St George’s and Priorslee.”
Community engagement events related to the refurbishment of The Gower will take place from February 2021, which will be adapted to suit any restrictions in place.
