La Bastille heritage site to be restored |23 January 2014

The Seychelles Heritage Foundation (SHF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture is inviting tenders for the redevelopment and management of the La Bastille heritage property through a long-term lease agreement.

The aim is to secure its preservation and enhancement as one of Seychelles most prominent historic buildings and properties.
 
Originally built as a family home for one of Seychelles’ most affluent residents of the time, the property was later purchased by government and, to this day, used as the headquarters or offices of ministries.  It is a listed national monument.

Given its heritage significance and, above all, the need to restore its historically imposing architectural features, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the SHF are confident that a hotel/tourism-related development with private sector investment would be in the best interest of the property and its upkeep for both present and future generations.

As indicated in the tender invitation the highest consideration will be given to tender offers that in the first place provide for an attractive development beneficial to the country but which can also incorporate the preservation and enhancement of the property and its main building as an iconic heritage landmark on the outskirts of Victoria.

Increasingly the preservation of historic properties across the world is being linked to tourism-related projects with private sector investment.  It is an area where tourism and culture interrelate.  Indeed here in Seychelles, the merger of tourism and culture within one ministry has given new impetus to the safeguard and promotion of our built heritage through commercially viable tourism-related projects.  The redevelopment of the La Plaine St André property through a lease agreement with a private sector company is a relevant example of the type of arrangements that the ministry and the SHF are currently pursuing in preserving and developing other heritage properties in the pipeline.

Apart from its cultural heritage value the property is ideally located on the outskirts of Victoria in a peaceful and picturesque setting and provides for a development that can benefit significantly from its proximity to the very centre of the capital.  

In assessing tender bids consideration will naturally also be given to how well the development blends within the landscape.

The property is being currently used by the ministry’s heritage research department as well as the SHF.  In view of the planned redevelopment of the site as well as the restructuring of the culture department, arrangements have been made for the relocation of the heritage research department and the SHF.