The Red Lion Hotel, Duxford

The Grade II Listed Red Lion Hotel, which abuts the Grade II* Listed and Scheduled Ancient Monument of Duxford Chapel, has been an inn for at least 600 years. In order to safeguard the long term viability and future of the building, the development of a freestanding 70 bedroom hotel was sought to make use of the site’s strategic location on the road and rail network of East Anglia.

Our involvement with the project began when Charmain was employed at QuBE as was appointed to act as the planning and heritage consultants to secure planning permission for the new build scheme and consent for the refurbishment and alteration of the existing hotel building. Key tasks included:

Carrying out a Historic Buildings Appraisal of the heritage assets on the site;
Acting as agent and preparing Planning and Heritage Statements to support the application;
Co-ordinating an archaeological desk top study and evaluation of the site and other specialist reports including a transport study and ecology report;
Preparing a Visual Impact Analysis assessing the potential effect of the new hotel on the heritage assets (in conjunction with the architects);
Undertaking consultations with local residents, Parish Councils and District Councillors; and
Leading extensive negotiations for the scheme with the Local Planning Authority and English Heritage.

Following the refusal of the first application for the new build scheme, a resolution to grant approval for a second application was secured in March 2009. A request to Call In the application was initially made by English Heritage, but averted by further negotiations. Construction is due to commence at the end of 2009.

Beacon have been appointed to project manage Phase 2 of the project which will involve the refurbishment and alteration of the existing hotel.