The Leancholi Trust in Scotland has launched an online tender to find a specialist design team to transform a historic hospital into a health and wellbeing village.
The trust launched the tender after securing planning permission, listed building consent and significant development funding for the estimated £9m project.
Trust leaders are seeking conservation-accredited architects and consultants to support the “repair, conservation and adaptation” of the Category B-listed hospital building, which closed in 2018 after more than 125 years serving the local community.
The project aims to transform the historic site into the Leanchoil Centre, a community-focused health and wellbeing hub featuring consulting rooms, rehabilitation and physiotherapy facilities, meeting and training spaces, a café, and accommodation for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Plans also include a new 41-unit supported housing development to be managed by Hanover Scotland.
The tender notice states the successful team will oversee RIBA stages 4 to 7 of the project, covering technical design through to construction and handover.
According to the Trust, Moray Council granted planning approval earlier this year, allowing the project to move toward detailed design and fundraising.
Leanchoil Trust was established after NHS Grampian closed the hospital, and local campaigners sought to return the site to community use.
On the tender notice, it states that while the “Trust aspires for all capital works to be undertaken for the Leancholi Centre in a single phase, this is now considered unachievable due to significant uplift of costs and the challenging funding landscape and a potential shortfall.”
The Trust states that a phased area approach will be necessary where specific rooms and services are developed out as funding allows.
Since then, the project has secured support from organisations including the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Scottish Land Fund.
The Trust estimates it must raise around £8m to complete the redevelopment.
The Trust says the redevelopment is intended to create a long-term community asset focused on preventative healthcare, wellbeing, learning and social connection, while preserving one of Forres’ best-known historic buildings.
The online tender will be open for bids until June 25.