Andrew Scott Ltd is delighted to have successfully completed and handed-over the £4m regeneration and repurposing of the Grade II listed Watton Mount and Coach House in Brecon, for our client, NPTC Group of Colleges.
The well-known and well-loved local Grade II Listed building was constructed in the early to mid C19th and required combining traditional and established skills with a contemporary approach to design from Rio Architects. This ensured the end result is beautiful in every detail, including the fit out and refurbishment, mechanical and electrical works, associated building works and minor external improvement works to this restoration project.
The central location of Watton Mount within Brecon town centre will improve access to students and provide better facilities, and is hoped that the move will be mutually beneficial for both Brecon’s Town Centre and the College.
Usage for Watton Mount includes information technology and a hair & beauty teaching area. The Coach House will be used for a real-world teaching/training environment commercial hair and beauty salon.
As part of Andrew Scott Ltd’s ‘Retrofit First’ approach, and to promote the Circular Economy and local Welsh businesses, we installed 800 sqm of Truewool®’s Sheep Wool Insulation on the Watton Mount project. Truewool® is fully biodegradable and returnable to the earth at the end of its useful life without the need for any energy intensive recycling processes, making Truewool® a product of the circular economy. This sustainable alternative to regular insulation resulted in a carbon reduction of up to 3.28 tCO2e.
Mark Bowen, Managing Director of Andrew Scott Ltd, said, “We are very proud to have successfully handed-over the Grade II listed Watton Mount and Coach House to our client, NPTC Group of Colleges. It has been a privilege to sensitively refurbish and repurpose this historic building, ensuring it meets the needs of the 21st century, whilst preserving its unique character. We hope that this beautifully restored space will be enjoyed by the college and its students for many years to come, providing both a rich sense of history and a modern environment for learning.”
Mark Dacey CEO of NPTC Group of Colleges said, “We are thrilled to be moving some of the provision from Brecon Beacons College to a location that truly reflects the high standards of education we aim to provide. The finish of Watton Mount is first class and as the project has moved forward, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The visible transformation of the building has prompted many comments in passing with many recognising the care that has gone into breathing new life into what was once a tired and underused space. This all forms part of a wider plan to relocate college provision into the town centre, making education more visible and accessible to the community whilst also increasing footfall.”