Listed Building Restorations: Properties With a New Purpose

Restoring historic properties to their former glory enables us to conserve precious fragments of British heritage and architectural assets that would otherwise be forgotten.

But, buildings only come alive when they have a real purpose. That’s why Berkeley Group has spent over 30 years preserving buildings with purpose for future generations, from unused hospitals to factories and hotels.

In this article, you’ll discover historic and listed building renovation success stories with Berkeley Group for new homes with a nod to the past.

What Is a Listed Building?

Listed buildings are properties recognised for being architecturally or historically interesting. Listed buildings range from extravagant manor houses to seemingly ordinary banks, factories and shops—covering a range of structures to preserve key pieces of history.

Aptly named ‘listed buildings’, the full list of identified properties can be found in the National Heritage List for England.

Each building is protected by law, which prevents changes that can negatively affect or damage its character. Typically, listed buildings ‘of interest’ will fall into one of two categories: Grade 1 or Grade 2, depending on their significance.

What Is a Grade II Listed Building?

Grade II listed buildings are properties considered of ‘special interest’, either architecturally, historically or both. Grade II listed structures tend to have fewer building restrictions than Grade I properties deemed ‘of exceptional interest’.

While building restrictions are less strict than Grade I, Grade II listed building restorations can still be challenging. Making changes means applying for listed building consent and meeting the usual planning controls—often involving months of planning and expert input.

Berkeley Group is then responsible for ongoing conversation work, maintaining and managing any changes in a way that sustains the building’s significance. As some buildings were only listed in the last 50 years, unsympathetic alterations are often put right, too.

Building Historic Homes: Four Examples by Berkeley Group

When developed well, historic buildings can act as a focal point for inspiring regeneration schemes that, in turn, create new homes and more jobs. Discover four examples of how Berkeley Group converted unused historic buildings into thriving residential areas.

1. Royal Arsenal Riverside, Woolwich

Royal Arsenal Riverside in Woolwich housed a collection of vastly different buildings dating back to 1720. With a long-term vision in mind, Berkeley Group has carefully worked to restore these impressive buildings to preserve history for future generations.

The full result of the restoration is set to be magnificent, with an 88-acre neighbourhood that features 5,000 homes, retail and commercial spaces and a four-acre park. At the heart, beautiful heritage buildings will blend seamlessly with contemporary architecture, encapsulating history in modern-day practicality.

The Grade II listed Chemical Laboratory (constructed in 1864) will be transformed into impressive, double-height residential units. Meanwhile, the bulk timber frame and post trusses of the Grade II listed Grade Store (1806-1813) will be retained, providing a nod to history for present-day residents.

A key driver behind every Berkeley Group development is a commitment to ‘placemaking’, with people’s needs and the wider community in mind. So, whenever a historic or listed building is restored, it’s important that it contributes to this ethos.

An exciting example comes from Horlicks Quarter in Slough. This ensured that the Horlicks Quarter Factory—featuring a 47-metre-high chimney and
famous Clock Tower—was the new community's heart.

The luminous red ‘HORLICKS’ sign atop the Factory roof has been a local landmark for over a century. Along with a refurbished sign, the restored site will feature up to 1,300 properties, with residents’ facilities housed in the Factory itself. This includes a:

• Café
• Nursery
• Gym
• Residents’ lounge with games room
• Rooftop garden
• Co-working hub (inside the Clock Tower)

3. Trent Park, Enfield

The history of Trent Park in Enfield will be commemorated too, thanks to a Grade II listed building restoration project by Berkeley Group.

With red bricks, white windows and Bath stone quoins, the mansion house at Trent Park can be described as a ‘first cousin of Hampton Court’. The revival of this impressive building will include a public museum dedicated to the Sassoon family—responsible for developing much of the house in the past.

Meanwhile, the largely unchanged aesthetic will provide a permanent reminder of the property’s role in the Second World War.

While some parts of the house date back to around 1777, it was largely rebuilt in 1923 for its ebullient owner, Philip Sassoon. Regular parties hosted by Sassoon saw the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill—and murals by the artist Rex Whistler still adorn some walls.

During the Second World War, the house became a camp for prisoners of war and home to the ‘Secret Listeners’ who gathered vital military intelligence.

A wartime life and decades as a university made this historic building conversion a challenge.

Conservation tasks have included testing if the building can bear the weight of the partitions required to create new apartments, and radar surveys to check the stability of the masonry.

“[There were] extra partitions in the wrong places and fire doors everywhere.

The external façade has survived well, and almost all of the window glass in the building is original.

The impressive 20m long timber ceiling joists require some repair. The wall paintings by Whistler are being restored by craftsmen. The very well-made 1920s windows will remain and we’ll have new flooring throughout.

The terrace will also be rather marvellous: it has amazing views across the lake and there will be a café on the east side. There will be a gym in the Orangery and the original 1920s swimming pool has been restored.”

- David Holford, Technical Manager at Berkeley Group

Initiatives to revive the historic landscape are also underway, including restoration of the famous Daffodil Lawn. Meanwhile, the gym at Trent Park can be found in the Orangery, with views of the restored 1920s swimming pool.