Heritage_Management

I have chosen to develop Hunslet Mills. This is because I think there is a lot more that can be done to the Mills than it is today as an old building. The Mills history is about Leeds and the industrial revolution, all about the cities low history which makes it quite unique. The battle of Towton was important which means there could be a very good museum on the site. However as the site is now it would be very hard to build on it and get the permissions you need, it would have more expense than building on the Mills site because transport links would need to be developed so people can reach the museum more easily and they have spaces to park. This is one of Towton main problems because it is very remote which means people are less likely to visit because there are no places for them to eat or visit afterwards. This rules out building on the battlefield because a lot more would have to be done and a cafe and some little shops would have to be built which makes the build more expensive. Hunslet Mills is good because it’s in the city which means people can find it and reach it quite easily and they can have a look round nearby shops and restaurants after they have visited. The Mill is also better because it already has planning permission for...... which the developers already own. . The development would be on the site where something used to be so there are already transport links to and from the building site which means less work because roads aren’t required to be built. Another advantage of the transport links is it’s easier to get building materials to the site where as because Towton battlefield is more remote its harder to get larger vehicles down the country roads. The Mill is on the riverside of the Aire which means luxury apartments could be built as the company who owns the site already has planning permission for flats. The location also has space for shops and cafes which makes it good for other people looking for a space to set up a shop. The Mill is a grade 2 listed building which means that it can’t be modified but extra bits can be added if they are in keeping with the design, the building is so old and attractive which might attract people to buying an apartment because it’s so different to all the new builds we see nowadays. The location of the Mill is ideal from a business point of view and also a historical one because it has so much history and can be developed into a luxury complex. The Mill will have been next to the river aire so goods could be transported from the mill all over the country, this would be shown in the museum which would be built on the site. Hunslet Mills is also good because its history is relevant to Leeds which we don’t have at the moment. The Mills riverside location means a luxury development could be made there, this would mean you could attract a richer type of person or lease it to people who are in town on business but want a nice place to stay. The mill is quite near business parks so there are lots of people nearby who would have a lot to gain from living at such a good location. Food shops made would attract local workers who need a place to grab some lunch; a bistro could be built to give local workers a nice relaxed environment to eat in whilst keeping with the old fashioned theme of the building. This would mean it’s a good spot for developers because there isn’t anything like that in the immediate area. To make the development more luxurious a member’s only club could be built inside one of the buildings. This would make the apartments more appealing and it would mean you could sell the club’s membership to other people at a monthly rate to earn more money and get more people coming to the area. People who come to the club would be more inclined to look around at what is in the development and make people keener on living there. Because the Mill is so undeveloped it has scope to do lots of things with it. The main negative of living in flats located here is that the plot would be very prone to flooding which would put a lot of people off buying one of the riverside flats. To combat this, precautionary measures would need to be put in place like raising the river bank and building flood walls to protect the building. Some other downsides are that there aren’t really any local schools and a commute to one would be necessary, this however isn’t too big an issue in the development because it is more aimed at business people who don’t have kids and want to be near the city living in a very social environment. On the whole there aren’t many disadvantages as the site has lots of scope to do things. The main south west building will be made into luxury apartments, some of which will overlook the river, because of the river view people will be willing to pay a fairly high price. The apartments would be available as studio, one bedroom, two bedrooms and a penthouse suite, all with balconies for maximum appeal and enjoyment of the river. The building outlined in blue will be transformed into a bistro with a takeout facility. This would appeal to many potential buyers because the inside theme of the bistro would be in keeping with the exterior. Having the bistro here is good because it means people and workers can come and go easily without completely entering the complex and causing disruption to the people living there. As it is on the main road it will make more people want to try it out because it’s always in there view. The building outlined in Yellow would be transformed into a series of little boutiques to bring in more income from the rental of the plots. This would be good because when people drive past they can see some of the boutiques and they will be attracted to come and look around, when people come to look at the shops it means more business for the bistro because people will get hungry and want a nice local place to eat. The building outlined in green would be the museum itself. The museum would contain exhibits relating to the Mills history and Leeds’ part in the textile industry. It would show Leeds heritage and explain the steps which made Leeds the cosmopolitan city it is today. This would make more people come to the museum because it would be related directly to Leeds as opposed to places like the royal armouries which is exhibits from all over. People visiting the museum would need food which means more business for the bistro and more people may decide to look around the shops which generate more income. The building outlined in purple would be the club house. This is the best position for it because it’s right next to the road so a link could be built so people can get into a car park that would be built next to the club house. This would be good because people can pay monthly and come to socialise and use the facilities like the indoor pool and spa and cafe facilities. This could also be a tipping point which makes potential buyers actually want to buy a property. The exterior of the development would have a tennis court/ basketball court and a range of exotic shrubbery to give a more tropical feel to the development making it more unique. Spot lights would be fitted around so that people don’t feel threatened by the looming buildings. A large pond will be built and benches will be placed around the complex so that people can sit outside and enjoy the surroundings fully. Some potential problems that could occur with the development are the costs of all the renovations which need to take place. The cost of renting the shop and bistro plots would generate a good monthly income but it might take a while to fine people who want to buy a space on the development. The apartments would be expensive to keep them built to a high spec and to keep them desirable to buyers. Potential buyers might be put off by the fact that other people would be coming and going out of the complex to use the facilities available, hopefully the type of people who come to look at the shops and bistro and use the club will be the type of people we are looking to attract to the area. As there is a recession going on many companies won’t be able to invest the time and money that the development requires in order to be successful. Another issue is that people can’t afford to buy expensive apartments and eat out so much so the bistro might suffer losses and it may be difficult to sell all the properties. Although the site has many problems after they have been overcome it could prove to be a very worthwhile development because the site will have been turned into a luxury complex with a variety of things inviting people to the area whilst informing people about the history of Leeds through the museum. My design plan contains many flaws such as where the development money would come from and they market who are in a position to buy a property there. The solution is to target big investors who would be willing to invest in return for a percentage of the flat sales, the shop rentals and the bistro. I think although it will be hard to find an investor, once one has been found the site can become a very profitable business venture. Another flaw is that because the development is so luxurious the apartments and club house would have to be decorated inside to an exceptionally high standard which lives up to the hype of the exterior. The cost of sourcing and building the materials would be very expensive and renovating the museum with consent would cost several millions to fit out to a high standard. The Club house would cost about 2 million to build because it would need state of the art equipment and facilities to entice people. The bistro would cost about £300,000 and may be the most difficult to equip as the interior needs to match the rustic look of the outer building. The boutiques would cost about £600,000 to set up so the shop owners just need to decorate and bring in their equipment because it needs to be divided and wired up with electrics. The development of the apartments would cost upwards of 10 million so they can be built and furnished to a high standard with extras like under-floor heating. The outdoor space would be turned into a tennis/ basketball court for recreational activities which would cost about £400,000 which brings the total upfront cost up to £13,300,000. The cost of building the museum could be got from the heritage lottery fund if applied for in a letter. Other companies would have to be very interested in investing for the development to have a chance of going ahead. The type of clientele we are looking to attract is the more elite richer type of person who wants to have a feeling of space whilst remaining in the city. We are aiming the build at people with a higher income; we can sell the apartments for more which would allow us to make a profit more easily. The flats could easily be sold at £175,000- £250,000 depending on what size you want and whether you get a riverside view or not. The bistro could be rented out for £5,000 a month and each shop space would be rented for about £2,500 which would allow us to make an appropriate return each month.