Extending and Altering a Period Property

If you look at any period property you can invariably see the changes and additions that previous owners have bestowed upon it over the years, long before any planning control was introduced. Frequently these changes reflected the current architectural fashion, which is why many argue the case for modern extensions and alterations to today’s historic properties. However, choosing between the styling of the past or the contemporary look of the future, often involves more than just the current owner.

Neil Quinn, Conservation Architect and Partner at Yiangou Architects says that there are two main philosophies one can adopt when extending a listed building, “Do something completely different or pay tribute to what is already there. Approaches will depend on individual tastes, what is ultimately wanted and what the local planning and conservation authority will allow. Surprisingly, no hard and fast rules apply to extending or renovating listed buildings in the UK and it can come down to the opinion of the local conservation officer who may be under time pressures and charged with preserving the local historic environment’s status quo.”

English Heritage says that listing is not about preserving, but about identifying what is significant about a building and assessing the proposed changes in relation to that significance, so the decision would be around whether a feature is integral to the building's importance. In considering an extension a conservation officer would use their judgement on what is noteworthy about a building and its setting.

“Interestingly,” continues Quinn. “English Heritage often supports a contemporary approach to extending onto listed buildings. It rightly argues that a contemporary extension can more clearly maintain the integrity and interpretation of the original building.”

For a completely new extension this is good advice, but what should you do when trying to rectify bad planning decisions made in the past.

Croyde Manor is a Grade II listed Georgian building that had previously endured a number of unsympathetic and detrimental extensions and the result was a house with many disconnected and impractical spaces. Its listed status meant that even the ugly and out of place extensions were protected and therefore had to remain in situ.

When architect and designer Nico Rensch of Architeam first visited Croyde Manor he knew instinctively that this property had the potential to become a sophisticated and comfortable family home. However, gaining planning approval for the necessary work would prove far from easy.

“English Heritage had numerous stipulations many of which I view acted against the historic value and future of the property,” says Rensch. “However, we worked very closely with English Heritage to ensure that we avoided compromising on the unique potential of the building. We saved and re-instated original features wherever possible and employed traditional methods both in the construction and internal decoration of the house. We used traditional cob walls and a kitchen garden was restored and extended with a lime render finish to form the swimming pool structure that is built into the hill.”

The materials used are crucial in ensuring that any alterations complement what has gone before. It is even more important when it concerns a listed building, where any mistake or shortcut can prove costly. Often at issue is whether a repair is just that or an alteration, as the purchaser of a listed post office found out. Before the completion of the sale it was agreed that the seller would mend the upper rear wall. However, by the time the buyer realised that the builder employed had used modern stone instead of secondhand rubble stone he thought it too late to complain.

Several months passed and an onsite meeting with local listed building officer to discuss some additional work on an out building resulted in her requesting that the work be rectified. When the builder refused stating that it was a repair, the conservation office condemned the work ordering it to be replaced. Fortunately a compromise was reached using the builder the new owner already had on site, but it could easily have been a long and protracted battle.

Peter Bell, Conservation Advisor to the Listed Property Owners Club says, “When buying a listed building always make sure that you are not accepting liability for someone else’s unlawful alterations. It may suite a builder to say that "it will all be alright" but ultimately the buck stops with the listed building owner and if an arrangement had not been agreed then the new owner would have had to pay for the work out of his own pocket or pursue the vendor through the courts.”

Although a complex renovation project, the fusion of historic elements with the need for a modern lifestyle at Croyde Manor has resulted in a house that feels like a timeless classic and turned a neglected and partially derelict property into a luxurious contemporary home.

“I knew the main structure could form a grand home,” says Rensch. “However, all the later modernisations and extensions would prove interesting as they needed to be carefully incorporated into a plan that worked well and felt natural.”

Altering or extending your period home is definitely a challenge and something that will provoke strong opinions, but with the right professional advice and guidance the end result can be very rewarding.