Lost Gardens Cambridge aparthotel and spa plans for Shire Hall unveiled 2026

Key Points

• Lost Gardens Cambridge is the working name for a new aparthotel and spa proposed for the historic Shire Hall site in Cambridge, led by the Lamington Group through its subsidiary Cambridge Apartment Hotels Ltd.
• Cambridgeshire County Council has agreed a 250‑year lease of Shire Hall and associated buildings, including the Octagon, Castle Lodge and the Old Police Station, with Cambridge Apartment Hotels Ltd.
• The former council headquarters will be converted into 167 rooms across four floors, with facilities including a spa, gym, restaurant and on‑site urban farm under the Lost Gardens Cambridge concept.
• The development is designed as a net‑zero, 100% electric aparthotel powered by low‑carbon renewable energy, aiming to offer guests a carbon‑neutral stay.
• Planning applications are either submitted or in preparation, and the lease agreement is expected to complete within about 18 months, subject to planning approval.
• Council leader Lucy Nethsingha (Liberal Democrat) has welcomed progress in bringing the long‑underused Shire Hall site back into active use, while underlining that planning scrutiny will still apply.
• The project sits within the Victoria Road Conservation Area, close to Castle Mound, and aims to retain and enhance existing structures where possible while regenerating the wider site.
• The Lost Gardens Cambridge scheme is positioned by the Lamington Group as part of a portfolio of low‑carbon aparthotels in cities including London, Belfast and Southampton.
• The Shire Hall deal follows a series of hospitality investments in and around Cambridge, including expansion plans at Quy Mill Hotel & Spa and other hotel upgrades aimed at meeting growing visitor demand.
• Local debate has emerged over whether the Old Shire Hall should become a boutique‑style hotel or an aparthotel, with some residents commenting on initial design impressions published online.

Cambridgeshire County Council (Cambridge Tribune) July 20, 2026 – Lost Gardens Cambridge aparthotel and spa plans set to transform Shire Hall after uk/local/cambridgeshire-county-council/">Cambridgeshire County Council’s 250‑year lease deal with the Lamington Group.

As reported by the Cambridge Independent in its coverage of “Lost Gardens Cambridge hotel and spa plans revealed for Shire Hall”, Cambridgeshire County Council has agreed a long‑term lease that will see the former Shire Hall headquarters converted into a new aparthotel and spa under the Lost Gardens Cambridge brand led by the Lamington Group. In that reporting, the Independent notes that a 250‑year lease has been signed with Cambridge Apartment Hotels Ltd, a subsidiary of the Lamington Group, paving the way for detailed plans to overhaul the site subject to planning permission. The development is framed as a major regeneration of a landmark civic building, bringing new visitor accommodation, leisure facilities and environmental features to a prominent location near Castle Mound in the city.

How has the 250‑year Shire Hall lease been agreed and who is leading the Lost Gardens Cambridge project?

As reported by Serviced Apartment News, the real estate and investment company Lamington Group has signed a 250‑year lease for Shire Hall in Cambridge, with the deal executed through its subsidiary Cambridge Apartment Hotels Ltd. According to that outlet’s summary, Cambridge Apartment Hotels has exchanged contracts with Cambridgeshire County Council on a lease that covers Shire Hall and associated buildings such as the Octagon, Castle Lodge and the Old Police Station, with completion expected within about 18 months.

In its coverage of the same agreement, the BBC reports that Cambridge Apartment Hotels Ltd, described as part of the Lamington Group, has entered into a 250‑year lease arrangement for the Old Shire Hall building in Cambridge, envisaging its conversion into upscale visitor accommodation. As noted by the BBC, this contract marks a significant step in moving the building out of purely civic use and into hospitality, though the broadcaster stresses that formal planning approval is still required before any construction or conversion work can begin.

The Lamington Group, through its official project page for Lost Gardens Cambridge, presents the scheme as one element within a wider pipeline of sustainable aparthotel projects across the UK. The group states that Lost Gardens Cambridge will join live or planned properties in locations such as London, Belfast and Southampton, reinforcing the firm’s strategy of focusing on long‑term, low‑carbon hospitality assets in major urban markets.

What are the main features of the Lost Gardens Cambridge aparthotel and spa proposal for Shire Hall?

According to the Lamington Group’s dedicated project description, Lost Gardens Cambridge is planned as a 167‑room aparthotel arranged across four floors within the retained and adapted structures of the former council headquarters. The group explains that the scheme is located within the historic Victoria Road Conservation Area, just steps from Castle Mound, and that it intends to retain and enhance existing buildings wherever possible rather than pursuing wholesale demolition.

The same project overview states that the development will incorporate a spa, a gym and an on‑site restaurant designed around a farm‑to‑fork concept, partly supplied by an urban farm located within the site. In that description, Lamington highlights a wellbeing‑led approach, with nature‑focused spaces, circular design principles and biophilic design elements intended to strengthen the connection between guests and the surrounding landscape while enhancing biodiversity on and around the property.

Serviced Apartment News, summarising highlights of the Shire Hall deal, reports that the offices will be transformed into net‑zero accommodation, aligning with Lamington’s wider sustainability focus. The Lamington Group’s own material adds that the hotel will be 100% electric, powered by low‑carbon renewable energy, and is being designed to offer what it describes as a carbon‑neutral stay for guests when operational.

How have Cambridgeshire County Council leaders described the deal and what conditions still apply?

In reporting by the BBC on the lease agreement, Liberal Democrat council leader Lucy Nethsingha is quoted expressing relief that progress is being made on bringing Old Shire Hall back into active use after a period of underuse. While the quoted wording reported by the BBC includes some transcription issues in the article text, the thrust of Councillor Nethsingha’s comments, as summarised by the broadcaster, is that it had been a concern for the community to see the prominent historic building standing largely dormant, and that she was pleased to set out the next steps in its future.

The BBC article emphasises that, despite the long‑term lease having been agreed, the proposals remain subject to the standard planning process overseen by the local planning authority. Before any physical works to convert the offices into an aparthotel and spa can begin, detailed planning applications must be lodged and assessed against conservation, design, transport and amenity considerations, among others. Serviced Apartment News also notes that Lamington will begin work on its planning application to deliver net‑zero accommodation at the Shire Hall site, reinforcing that the present stage is pre‑construction.

How is Lost Gardens Cambridge positioned within wider hospitality and regeneration trends in the city?

On its official Lost Gardens Cambridge project page, the Lamington Group frames the aparthotel as part of a regeneration effort that will bring new life and long‑term value to the area by transforming a former council complex into a sustainable, resilient and future‑ready asset. The company’s description links the scheme to a broader ambition to deliver hospitality projects that create meaningful social and environmental value while pushing the boundaries of sustainability in the hotel sector.

Serviced Apartment News reports that the Shire Hall project will join Lamington’s live or expanding portfolio in London, Belfast and Southampton, positioning Cambridge within a network of city locations where the group is pursuing long‑term, climate‑conscious accommodation models. In addition, Hotel Owner, in a short report on Cambridge Apartment Hotels securing the 250‑year lease, underlines that the arrangement covers not only Shire Hall but multiple associated buildings on the historic site, suggesting scope for a more campus‑style aparthotel setting rather than a single standalone block.

Other hospitality developments in and around Cambridge demonstrate a parallel trend of investing in expanded and upgraded visitor facilities aimed at both domestic and international guests. For example, planning consultants Pigeon report that South Cambridgeshire Planning Committee unanimously approved a significant expansion of Quy Mill Hotel & Spa, increasing rooms from 52 to 98 and adding enhancements to its restaurant, spa, swimming pool and parking on a 12‑acre greenbelt site. The BBC has also covered plans by the Varsity Hotel and Spa in central Cambridge to construct two subterranean basement levels incorporating new spa and leisure facilities, which received planning approval following council consideration.

How have local commentators and residents responded to early Lost Gardens Cambridge material?

Local commentary on the emerging proposals has begun to surface, including through community‑focused outlets. A piece on the blog Cambridge Town Owl, headlined “Proposals to turn Old Shire Hall into an aparthotel published”, notes that the author has reviewed an early public‑facing landing page for the project and comments on the initial visual presentation, describing it informally as very much like an apart‑hotel rather than the boutique hotel some residents had previously discussed.

In that same blog entry, the author quotes a line consistent with statements from corporate and trade reports, writing that Cambridge Apartment Hotels Ltd, a subsidiary of the Lamington Group, exchanged contracts on a 250‑year lease for Shire Hall in Cambridge with Cambridgeshire County Council and expects to complete within the next 18 months. This restates the position reported by Serviced Apartment News and other industry titles about the lease’s duration and expected completion timetable, but frames it in the context of local debate around the style and feel of the eventual aparthotel.

The Cambridge Town Owl piece suggests that some residents had initially imagined a more boutique offer at Old Shire Hall and are now considering how an aparthotel‑led model, as portrayed in early visuals, fits with their expectations for the historic site. While that commentary is personal and informal rather than an official consultation response, it indicates that design language, branding and perceived character of the development are likely to feature in public discussion as the planning process advances.

How does Lost Gardens Cambridge fit into the local hotel market context?

Although the full details of the wider Cambridge hotel pipeline are set out in specialist planning and hotel studies, the combination of projects reported across media and industry sources points to continued growth in visitor accommodation across the city. The BBC’s report on additional spa facilities at the Varsity Hotel, along with planning approvals for expansion at Quy Mill Hotel & Spa documented by Pigeon, illustrate a pattern of operators seeking to increase capacity and add wellness‑oriented amenities.

In that context, Lost Gardens Cambridge appears, from the Lamington Group’s description, as a comparatively large aparthotel offering, with 167 rooms and a suite of leisure and wellbeing facilities in a central urban conservation area. The emphasis on net‑zero operation, 100% electric systems and on‑site urban farming sets it apart in sustainability terms from some more traditional hotel expansions, though each scheme is framed by its promoters as contributing to the long‑term commercial viability and attractiveness of the Cambridge visitor economy.

Background to the Shire Hall redevelopment

As set out by Serviced Apartment News and Hotel Owner, Shire Hall previously served as the headquarters of Cambridgeshire County Council before the authority relocated its main operations, leaving the site underused and prompting efforts to find a long‑term alternative use. The council then moved to secure a 250‑year lease arrangement with Cambridge Apartment Hotels Ltd, aiming to generate income from the asset while enabling its regeneration by a specialist hospitality operator.

The Lamington Group’s Lost Gardens Cambridge project page explains that the site lies within the Victoria Road Conservation Area near Castle Mound, meaning any redevelopment must balance modern accommodation needs with heritage and townscape considerations. The decision to retain and adapt existing structures rather than pursue a full new‑build approach aligns with that conservation context, as does the stated intention to use biophilic and nature‑integrated design to strengthen the site’s relationship with its surroundings.

Alongside Shire Hall, several other hotel and spa projects in the wider Cambridge area have moved forward in recent years, reflecting expectations of sustained demand from tourists, business travellers and the university‑linked visitor economy. The approvals for deeper spa facilities at the Varsity Hotel and the enlargement of Quy Mill Hotel & Spa point to a market in which operators seek to differentiate themselves through enhanced wellness and leisure offers, a trend that Lost Gardens Cambridge appears set to join with its planned spa, gym and urban‑farm‑linked restaurant.

Prediction: how could the Lost Gardens Cambridge development affect Cambridge residents, visitors and the local economy?

Based on the information reported so far by the Cambridge Independent, the BBC, Serviced Apartment News, Hotel Owner, the Lamington Group and local blogs, the Lost Gardens Cambridge project is likely to have several potential effects on Cambridge residents, visitors and the local economy if it proceeds broadly as outlined. For residents living near the Victoria Road Conservation Area and Castle Mound, the conversion of Shire Hall into a 167‑room aparthotel and spa could increase visitor footfall and activity in and around the site, bringing additional trade to nearby businesses but also raising familiar concerns about traffic, servicing and the character of the area.

For visitors, including tourists and business travellers, the aparthotel and spa would add a sizable new accommodation option in a historic setting, with features such as a spa, gym and farm‑to‑fork restaurant potentially appealing to guests who value wellbeing‑oriented stays within walking distance of central attractions. The sustainability positioning – including net‑zero, 100% electric operation and on‑site urban farming – may particularly resonate with environmentally conscious travellers, aligning Cambridge with broader trends towards low‑carbon hospitality.

From an economic perspective, the regeneration of a long‑underused civic complex into an income‑generating hospitality site could support employment in construction, operations and supply chains, complementing other hotel investments such as the expansion of Quy Mill Hotel & Spa and the Varsity Hotel’s new spa facilities. At the same time, the emergence of local commentary about whether Old Shire Hall should become an aparthotel or a more traditional boutique hotel suggests that public debate over design quality, heritage impact and the mix of uses on the site is likely to continue through the planning process, shaping how the scheme is refined to balance commercial objectives with community expectations.