The historic former headquarters of the University of Durham in the UK could be converted into a luxury spa hotel under multi-million pound plans recently revealed by businessman Shaun Crawley.

Crawley has purchased Old Shire Hall in the north of England with a view to create a 70-bedroom boutique hotel and spa, which he says will “rival the best in the area.”

Plans are to transform the Grade II-listed Victorian building to include a fine restaurant, several bars, 40 hotel rooms, a 30-room apart-hotel and function rooms for the building situated in the heart of Durham, as well as spa facilities offering a variety of facials, manicures, pedicures and massages.

The University sold the Old Elvet building to the now-defunct regional development agency One North East in 2008 for £4.2m (US$7.1m, €5.3m). The facility was then sold to Mr Crawley in February 2014 for an undisclosed fee.

Upmarket hotel chain Malmaison has been reportedly interested in taking up ownership of the building, though as of yet, nothing has been confirmed. A planning application for the site will be submitted later this month with more concrete plans to be revealed on the conversion and potential tenants or new owners then.