The Hayes is a large residential conference centre set in the grounds of a former Victorian country house surrounded by farmland just outside the Derbyshire village of Swanwick. Over the last several decades the site and buildings have been adapted and expanded to suit the ever-changing needs of groups making use of the facilities.

In order for the business to continue to move forward in an increasingly competitive market, substantial changes are needed to the site and buildings to improve site operations and the experience of paying guests.

A site appraisal and masterplan design strategy was prepared covering the whole site and identifying key areas of improvement needed to fit within a coherent proposal to meet the client’s business objectives and the needs of conference groups and delegates and to allow phased delivery over several years.

Heather Thomas – Operations Director Christian Conference Trust said:

“Kelvin and his team worked through our existing buildings, layouts and outside areas to construct a 20-year masterplan, to bring together a better flow and use of our buildings and sites. This plan allows us to do the works in phases over a number of years and helps to bring together areas that have been built ad hoc, and not really thought through for the future or as part of an overall strategy plan.

We have started some of these works with the Chapel and a new 38-bedroom block at High Leigh and the reconfiguration of the Main house at the Hayes. Plans have also been drawn up for the reconfiguration of the Stable block for conversion to a new 38 ensuite bedroom block and re-opening of the courtyard archway that had been blocked up.”