King Street Dental Surgery
- Location: Blackpool
- Client: Blackpool Council | Eric Wright Construction
- Type: Refurbishment | Locally listed heritage building
- Status: Completed
Cassidy + Ashton was appointed by the Eric Wright Group – the main contractor on this heritage project – to provide the initial designs and concepts for the refurbishment of a listed building to convert it into a dental surgery.
What we did
- Feasibility stage design and report
- Lead architect and heritage architect
- Town planning and listed building consultants
- Structural and condition surveys
- Submitted planning and listed building planning applications
- Full detailed design package co-ordinating with full design team
The listed building, the former Veevers Arms Hotel, (more recently known as The Hop Inn), is located on King Street, Blackpool.
Cassidy + Ashton provided the initial designs and concepts for the refurbishment of the listed building and our technical design team then followed through with the detailed design work included overseeing the completion of the project onsite.
Our building surveying team provided the structural and condition surveys prior to work commencing onsite and Cassidy + Ashton’s Preston planning team was involved in submitting the planning applications to seek approval of the refurbishment and change of use.
Built in 1870 the locally listed hotel on King Street required almost a full reconstruction to accommodate the new dental practice. Its local heritage status meant the retention of its three-storey three-sided Victorian façades that include many original carved stone flourishes and decoration.
Restoration and cleaning of painted stonework and repairs to the upper-level brickwork was carried out. A combination of repair, retain, and restore of the façade then ensued to bring it back to life.
A three-storey extension was built on the back of the retained facades. The remaining building was then completely gutted to create the new surgery layout to house 14 treatments rooms over three floors, plus reception and waiting areas as well as amenities and storage space.
The former hotel was in complete disrepair, with no option but to replace most of the interior by installing a new structural steel frame, walls and cassette timber floors.
The original wooden windows, which were rotten beyond the point of repair, were replaced with new timber windows to match the existing heritage design.
Each of the 14 treatment rooms in the new building is fitted with mechanical supply and extract systems to provide purge ventilation between each patient visit. The vents have been integrated into the replacement windows.
This was a significant heritage project for Cassidy + Ashton, with all our practice’s disciplines involved. With extensive experience within the heritage sector, our team undertook a sympathetic approach to preserve the building’s Victorian charm yet return it to the community with a new and valuable purpose.