Member Article

Stourbridge scheme delivers new homes for Old Library

A Grade II listed Carnegie library in Stourbridge has been converted into 22 modern town centre apartments as part of a multi-million pound residential development.

Property developer and investor, Claremont Property Group, has completed work on The Old Library in Hagley Road, Stourbridge town centre following a two-year conversion project.

More than half of the one and two-bedroom apartments at the three-storey Edwardian building have already been snapped up off-plan by a combination of local owner-occupiers and buy-to-let investors.

Built in 1905 with funds donated by wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie, The Old Library has been used as both a library and an educational establishment.

The building boasts many original architectural features including ornamental, terracotta detailing to the façade, a spiral staircase, bespoke plasterwork and stained glass windows, featuring the images of William Shakespeare and the physicist, Lord Kelvin - all of which have been replicated or restored.

Due to the way the building is configured, each of the Old Library’s 22 apartments is entirely unique. Many of the units incorporate mezzanine flooring, utilising the high ceilings and the natural light provided by the building’s enormous windows.

Manjit Deol, co-founder of Claremont Property Group, said: “We are delighted to have completed work on the conversion of The Old Library. This project has been a labour of love, borne out of a desire to deliver high-quality, contemporary living in a way that celebrates the traditional features of an historic building. We could have embarked upon a much more typical residential development but we wanted to breathe new life into the Old Library and provide a whole new generation of people with the opportunity to gain pleasure from spending time here.

“Stourbridge is an ideal base for professionals on the move and is extremely well connected by road and rail, so we expect there to be considerable interest in the remaining apartments. Living at the Old Library offers a completely unique experience and given the success of our off-plan sales, there is clearly a local demand for purchasing a slice of history.”

Founded by Manjit Deol and his sister, Perm Saini in 1999, Claremont Property Group is building a reputation for investing in and repurposing historic buildings.

The property investor and developer is currently working on ambitious plans for the multi-million pound residential conversion of an historic former ‘flatted factory’ in Birmingham city centre. The project is one of three similar residential schemes that Claremont plans to deliver in the West Midlands.

The conversion of the Old Library was designed by architects, Corstorphine + Wright and completed by building contractor, Logmoor. Interior design was by Suzanne Barnes Design Partnership.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Hicks .