Hotel
developers restaurant catering
Lomond Group - Landmark deHavilland Luxury Hotel and Restaurant Complex Set For Take-off In Dundee
Exciting proposals by Glenrothes based
developer Lomond Group - comprised of Lomond Homes, Lomond Land
and Lomond Properties - for a landmark new luxury hotel and
restaurant complex with an aeronautical theme, overlooking the
River Tay nearby Dundee Airport, have been given the green light
for development from councillors of Dundee City’s Development
Quality Committee.
Named the deHavilland hotel and restaurant complex - after the
wing of the deHavilland Supermarine Spitfire whose elegant shape
the new building resembles - the iconic development will
comprise 60 quality hotel rooms with the additional flexibility
to accommodate business and conference meetings and a restaurant
catering for up to 126 diners.
The grant of planning permission will provide a much needed
facility to support the tourism and business sectors of the
city.
Commenting on the proposals, Lomond Group’s Development Manager,
Alan Seath, said, “We are delighted to receive planning
permission, which is a result of months of meticulous research,
collaboration and great effort being applied to a very
thoughtful design process, all of which has delivered an
opportunity to develop this exciting project in the city.
“Not only does planning permission create the opportunity to
develop a tourism and business facility of high quality, but it
will allow for the creation of up to 60 permanent jobs in
Dundee’s expanding service sector as well as the 50 strong
construction team who will erect the building. Thanks are due,
therefore, to those organisations which lent us their full
support for this tremendous project, particularly VisitScotland
and Destination Dundee.”
Located on a prime riverside site, just 5 to 10 minutes from the
city centre, the deHavilland hotel and restaurant complex is to
be developed on a disused area of employment land. To achieve an
attractive design and layout, Lomond Group was aware that
development proposals had to be innovative, taking full account
of the challenges posed by a narrow and contaminated site with
air traffic activity in the area.
In recognition of the growing numbers of budget hotels available
in and around the city, Lomond Group decided at an early stage
that the deHavilland hotel and restaurant complex would offer a
high standard of accommodation and dining by setting a
recognisable and discernible benchmark for visitors to Dundee
through the quality of its internal and external appearance.
The eye-catching design and layout of the building is the
creation of Ged Young, partner of Dundee architectural firm,
‘aim’ (architecture, interiors, media).
The result is an aeronautical themed structure with a
streamlined design and contemporary finishing materials
combining to achieve a highly visible and iconic landmark on one
of the most important gateways into Dundee.
Whilst the innovative site layout allows for the vast majority
of car parking spaces to be located beneath the building,
mindful of the Scottish Executive’s transport agenda and
acknowledging the importance of sustainable transport
initiatives to the benefit of the local environment, Lomond
Group has undertaken to promote the use of a shuttle bus service
to and from the city centre and the airport.
Furthermore, as the hotel is located on a cycle route, bike
hire, and related facilities will also be included. Such
initiatives are intended to make a meaningful contribution
towards relieving congestion in a city which is projected to
grow significantly over the years ahead.
Externally, the new building will be reminiscent of the elegance
of the wing of the venerable deHavilland Supermarine Spitfire.
The hotel’s aeronautical design also incorporates a high
‘control’ tower which will house the panoramic restaurant on the
top floor.
As well as offering excellent gourmet fare, the dining
experience will provide for a 270 degree view across the Tay
estuary, with access to an outside balcony allowing breathtaking
views to be absorbed in good weather. Rooms with south facing
balconies, together with the restaurant experience, have been
created to give guests and customers ‘a window seat’ to the
setting sun over the river.
Contemporary materials will be used to emphasise the aerofoil
shape of the building with external art work created by local
artist Nael Hanna to enhance the experience of visitors and
those using this route into and out of Dundee.
At night the wing-shaped accommodation building will be
illuminated by low energy L.E.D. colour-change lighting on the
balconies. The combination of light to wall will create an
eye-catching feature on the riverside and enhance the geometry
of the hotel and restaurant at night.
The landmark building will provide visitors arriving in the city
by air one of the best introductions to Dundee’s renewed
industrial renaissance. With Dundee Airport having projected
significant growth in air travel in the forthcoming years,
Lomond Group’s ambition is that the new development can function
as an airport hotel. Early contact with Highlands and Islands
Airports Limited, which takes over the running of Dundee Airport
later this year, has laid a foundation for discussions and a
potential business arrangement.
The deHavilland Hotel and Restaurant complex has been earmarked
for completion in the second quarter of 2009.
Email:
sally@corporateeventsscotland.com