Converted from a derelict former hotel in Weston-super-Mare, Dorville House is keeping with our commitment to sustainable living. 

Sustainable Britain not only constructs new eco-homes but also converts buildings into homes, as refurbishment is considered better for the environment than demolition because of the embodied carbon present in the materials to construct the building.

Dorville House comprises a range of 1 and 2 bedroomed apartments with either full or Juliet balconies, plus a 2-bedroomed duplex, a 1 bedroomed annexe and a studio. There is a lift to all floors as well as ample bicycle storage. A selection of apartments have sun terraces with beautiful sea views and all ground floor apartments benefit from their own courtyard.

The conversion has been shortlisted for the finals of the West of England Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Awards 2017.

Nick Calvert, Development Director of Sustainable Britain, which is part of the Connolly & Callaghan Group, said: “We are delighted to receive recognition in the LABC Building Excellence Awards for the work undertaken at the former Dorville Hotel, which had lain empty for over a decade, and had suffered from vandalism, squatters, fire, water ingress and general decay.

“It was regarded as a blot on the landscape and was a concern to the local community, we have been delighted with the positive response we have received to the conversion of the Dorville Hotel into 20 high quality flats.”

Architect Steve Mardall, of Ascent Architecture, submitted the entry for the award. Design challenges included putting in place new party walls to sub-divide the former hotel into flats, and creating new balconies to the rear to exploit the coastal views.

He said: “This project has been a triumph in terms of how it has created a new use for an obsolete building and has overcome numerous technical challenges.

“Most significant is the improvement from an infamous blot on the landscape to a well-designed building with simple lines that pays homage to the original building’s Art Deco aesthetic.

“The converted building complements its surroundings and has had a significant positive impact on the local area and community.

“Residents of the building benefit from high-quality flats with external balconies and stunning coastal views, and a building that is now significantly more thermally efficient and airtight than was the original.”