Weston Homes has bought the 4.9-hectare site from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) for a £60m residential conversion project.
The Cambridge Military Hospital site will provide 140 new private sale homes, including one, two and three-bedroom apartments inside the Grade II listed building and two, three and four-bedroom new-build houses in the grounds.
The purchase agreement includes 169,267 sq ft of refurbished, new build and commercial buildings.
Weston Homes plan to start the conversion in the summer of 2019, project phased over several years.
The hospital conversion is the centrepiece of the 150-hectare Aldershot Urban Extension scheme, known as Wellesley, being delivered by Grainger as the DIO’s development partner.
Aldershot’s Cambridge Military Hospital was built by Martin Wells & Co between 1875 and 1879 based on design principles outlined by Florence Nightingale. Named after the Duke oof Cambridge, who was then head of the British armed forces, it was the first British hospital to receive casualties direct from the battle front, the injured from the battle of Mons in 1914.
Alongside the main hospital building there is also Louise Margaret Hospital, opened in 1897 to treat the wives and children of soldiers, and Gunhill House, opened in 1907, providing accommodation for nursing sisters working at the main hospital. The hospital closed in 1996.
Bob Weston, chairman & chief executive of Weston Homes, said: “Weston Homes is pleased to be working alongside Grainger plc to reinvigorate the iconic Victorian and Edwardian military buildings of the Cambridge Military Hospital and transform them into a new residential address for Aldershot that local people will be proud to call home. With our proven historic building restoration expertise, Weston Homes will bring a new lease of life to these heritage buildings which are of national importance due to their military history, we will transform them into modern homes layered with the rich history and unique character of this historic site.”
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