Charity Turns Empty Listed Building Into Flats For The Homeless

A charity in Worcester has converted an empty listed building into 25 flats that aim to tackle homelessness in the area.

Worcester Municipal Charities bought the Grade II listed former probation office on Shaw Street and converted it into accommodation to house homeless people in the area.

The £2.2m project, now renamed Stillingfleet House was funded with the help of a £1m grant from Homes England and a £500,000 loan from Unity Trust Bank, as well as the charity’s own resources.

The loan came as a result of the listed building restoration, as dry rot was discovered during the renovation process which cost £100,000 to fix. Unity Trust Bank stepped in to fill the temporary cash-flow gap, given that the project will help young vulnerable people.

 The charity themselves owned the building, and chairman Paul Griffith claimed that the building generated £150,000 a year in rent in years past.

However, after struggling to find new tenants and facing either expensive redevelopment or minuscule sales, they opted instead to convert the historic building into flats to help accommodate up to 25 young homeless people.

According to the WMC’s almshouse policies, any person who lives in Worcester who is at risk of or is homeless, has low income or receives housing benefit, and does not have the means to buy anywhere suitable to meet their needs qualifies for housing under this scheme.

 Some of the first tenants to move in have previously been living in the Fownes Hotel, which had laid dormant over the past year as a result of the current circumstances and are expected to move into the new flats sometime in June.

Disputed Restoration Plans For 17th Century Listed Building Refused

Proposals to convert one of the oldest surviving buildings in Bradford into a restaurant and set of offices have been refused, highlighting a major discussion on the importance of purpose in listed building restoration.

Royds Hall, in Bradford, is a Grade II* listed building surrounded by other original features and buildings that are also Grade II listed.

The applicants, Mr & Mrs Hussain from Prohaus Design, had intended to turn the historic outbuilding into a restaurant, with room for offices and light commercial use.

These proposals were rejected due to a lack of detail and concern the plans would damage the character of the listed building and the setting.

The historic complex has a long history, dating back to the 14th Century. King Henry V donated it to the Rooke family as a gift, and it has been the resting site of major historical events since.

At one point the Reverend Joseph Dawson would buy the property and would allow his friend Joseph Priestly to stay there. It is believed many of the experiments that helped him to discover Oxygen were undertaken at Royds Hall.

The proposed plans, which were heavily criticised by neighbours, local historical groups and Historic England, would have divided the outbuilding into four separate buildings, leading to questions about potential damage to the property. 

As well as this, the site is not currently well suited to large groups of people, with insufficient parking space and a single unsurfaced road being the only access.

According to local residents, this lane is already an issue due to be primarily a public footpath that is difficult to navigate in bad weather.

The council did note that inherently changing the use of the building is not the issue at hand but instead criticised a “fundamental lack of understanding” about how significant the building is to the local area.

Vacant Hartlepool Listed Former Department Store To Become Virtual Reality Hub

The former site of the North Eastern Co-Operative Society Department Store on Park Road in Hartlepool is set to be transformed into a virtual reality haven thanks to a technologically-driven listed building restoration and a not for profit organisation.

NEVR Labs, A computer technology studio and virtual reality hub has requested planning permission with the help of Alice House Hospice to open In the vacant Unit C of what is known as Park Tower.

Whilst the former department store is a Grade II listed building, council planning leads determined that the proposals would not cause any damage to the building, the Stranton Conservation Area where it is based or the local streets.

This will allow the centre, set to be used for training, education and work in computer technology and virtual reality, to open, with all of the revenue generated going to Alice House Hospice, a charity that helps people and families affected by life-limiting illnesses.

NEVR labs have offered a range of services, including virtual reality education and team-building exercises, virtual fitness, esports equipment and training, virtual reality arcade games and escape rooms.

The council agreed to the proposals on the rationale that it would benefit the community far more than it affects it, the proposed change of use is acceptable and would not affect the building, and it would benefit the long term prospects of the vacant building.

It would also provide investment to the local area and a unique attraction that takes advantage of protected listing building aesthetics and state-of-the-art technology.

What To Look For When Buying A ‘Fixer Upper’.

If you’re on the search for a property to renovate and make your own, then there are many considerations to make and things to look out for to ensure you don’t find yourself stuck with an impossible task.

Brits love period properties, from humble Victorian terraces to huge sprawling period mansions, but first-time renovators can often be unprepared for the work ahead of them. Older properties can sometimes be hiding a lot of damage behind the quaint character that has drawn you to it in the first place.

So what should you expect when you decide to take on a house in need of a renovation?

Do your research about the property both before and after viewing it. If you’re not an expert, then viewing a fixer-upper can sometimes make you feel way out of your depth as an estate agent tells you all about the property, and you may not know what questions to ask.

It would be highly recommended to take a second look along with an expert if you’re considering making an offer, who will be able to give you impartial advice.

Cost is, of course, a major factor when it comes to a renovation. You need to get as accurate a ballpark figure for the total cost as you can to give you an idea of whether you can afford it. No one wants to be unable to complete a project halfway through due to budget constraints.

While a full building survey on a house you may not yet buy could seem expensive, it is a wise investment so you can then be able to more accurately plan the work that needs to be done. You will also find out if there are other dangers such as asbestos, serious damp problems, and also get an expert to check the electricity and plumbing too.

You may also need to ask yourself if you plan on living in the house while it is being renovated, and for how long you think you can deal with it as it is.

Renovating a home can be thoroughly rewarding if sometimes worrying, venture. If you need help from experts in Victorian coving in London, get in touch!

What Is Horsehair Plaster And What Is It Used For?

Horsehair plaster, also known as lath and plaster, is typically found in period homes but is not commonly used today. However, you can still find a lot of homes with horsehair plaster. But what is it, and why is it called that?

Period properties will always be incredibly popular in the UK, but when it comes to sensitively refurbish a home, you might want to recreate the same features with traditional materials, of which horsehair plaster is one. We have a closer look at what it is.

Generally, although there are some variations, horsehair plaster is a mixture of lime, sand, plaster, and horsehair. The horsehair that was used was from the mane and the tail of the horse. Horse hairs are long, strong, and when they’re mixed with plaster, they offer a lot of structural strength.

You may even find the hair from other animals that have been used such as ox, donkey, and even goat hairs, which some may have used plant fibres. However, horsehair was the builder’s choice, as it offered flexibility, and would conform to whatever shape was needed. For the less-than-perfect contours of the walls of period homes, this makes it ideal.

Good reasons to restore your horsehair plastered walls

While modern methods and materials may be more efficient, there are many advantages to horsehair plaster, particularly for period properties.

The appearance of horsehair walls is very difficult to be copied with modern materials, and the historical value of horsehair plaster walls means the value of these homes would undoubtedly increase.

The density of horsehair plaster walls also means they’re much more soundproof than plasterboard, and, additionally, the plaster is much more fire-resistant than plasterboard, making it a much safer choice.

Horsehair plaster walls are also much more insulated than plasterboard. This will keep both the heat and the cool inside your home better. In return, you might even save on your monthly electricity bills.

If you’re looking for horse hair plaster experts for your period home, talk to us today.

Listed London Office Buildings May Become Homes

A number of listed buildings may be among the empty offices that the City of London Corporation is planning to turn into homes.

The plan has been devised in response to the growing expectation that remote working will become an increasingly common practice even after the pandemic, which will reduce the need for office space in the City and other business districts in London and elsewhere.

Among the suggested adjustments suggested for such areas has been their redevelopment as residential districts. This is something that could transform the famous square mile, which has a far lower population density than most of central London. Before the pandemic began, fewer than 10,000 people lived there.

Under the scheme, around 1,500 homes will be developed through the renovation of existing buildings.  While that may apply to some of the steel and glass towers in the vicinity, many of the most attractive buildings that could make enticing housing prospects will be older and often listed.

If so, renovation specialists used to repairing plasterwork in London may be in big demand if the plan comes to fruition.

Discussing the plan, Lord Mayor of the City of London William Russell said: “The Square Mile’s future is bright and we will rise to the challenge of adapting to the new normal that emerges after the pandemic.”

The City is certainly not short of listed buildings. In amongst the array of post-modern skyscrapers, the City contains no fewer than 733 of them. Of the 32 London boroughs, all of them larger in size than the City, only six have a higher number of listed buildings. By contrast, eight boroughs have fewer than 200.

Moreover, given how old the City is and the dominance of stucco plaster architecture in central London, there is little doubt that plasterwork will be a significant part of the task to be undertaken if this most famous of business districts is to provide rather more in the way of home comforts in the years ahead. 

A £3,000 Fine For Painting A Listed Building Dark Blue!

The importance of making sure you have listed building consent for any work you want to do on a site in your custodianship has been made apparent this week, with a homeowner ordered to pay a fine of £3,740 after he painted his listed building dark blue without permission.

According to Kent Online, the owner did submit an application for consent after the work was carried out but because the colour of the premises in Trinity Square in Margate was unauthorised, Thanet Council deemed it to be “harmful and unsympathetic” to the surrounding listed buildings.

The subsequent application for consent was granted by the council, which allowed the owner to paint in a different colour - as long as an approved colour was chosen.

Bob Porter, director of housing and planning, explained: “In this particular case, a clear breach of the regulations had occurred and the owner did not take remedial action despite our teams trying to negotiate a solution with them.

“Listed buildings are an important part of our heritage, so it is extremely important that residents are aware that the council will take action, even if it takes many years, in order to protect it. We’re pleased to see that the listed building enforcement notice has now been complied with.”

Listed building consent is required if you want to demolish a listed building or if you want to alter or extend a site in a manner that would affect its character, as a building of historic or architectural interest. If you’d like any help or advice relating to listed building restoration, get in touch with Ovolo London today.

Listed Leicester Building Restored

A major listed building restoration project has been completed in Leicester, giving a notable 15th century building a new lease of life.

The Grade I listed Magazine Gateway on Oxford Street had been crumbling, with cracks and fractures in its stonework prompting English Heritage and De Montfort University to oversee a £200,000 restoration project, the Leicester Mercury reports.

Taking place over the last six months, the project has seen the structural damage being fixed, while vegetation and bird droppings have also been cleared away.

The structure was once part of a larger walled enclosure providing access to The Newarke. Down the centuries it has been used as a military base, a gunpowder store and as accommodation. In recent years it has only been opened to the public on special occasions.

Commenting on the work, Leicester’s heritage champion and deputy mayor Councillor Adam Clarke told the paper: “The damage caused by hundreds of years’ worth of weather, pollution and general wear and tear meant this work needed to be carried out.”

He added that the work will “safeguard the future of what is one of the finest medieval buildings in Leicester”.

Leicester’s association with the 15th century is particularly strong, with the city being the centre of a sensational discovery in 2012 when an excavation on the site of Greyfriars’ Church discovered the remains of Richard III, who was killed in battle in 1485. His remains are now entombed in Leicester Cathedral.

The Magazine Gateway is not the only listed building to have been restored in Leicester recently. The Grade II listed Fenwick department store has been undergoing a major renovation as part of a £17 million scheme by developer Aimrok Holdings to turn it into a 121-room hotel with commercial and hospitality space on the ground floor.

As well as redeveloping the 19th century building, the scheme will also revive its original name of The Gresham.