November/December News

Some members of staff attended Saffron-Walden firework display, which was, if possible, even more fantastic than in previous years!   The November fogs and snow, and the December frosts thankfully did not last very long, and didn’t cause too much disruption. 

Listed below are just a few of the things we’ve been up to during November and December. 

• We are currently consulting English Heritage and North Herts over the extension to a beautiful Grade II* Elizabethan/Jacobean Farmhouse in Hertfordshire and for the conversion of a Grade II listed Brewhouse to a workshop.
• We have submitted an application for Listed Building Consent and Planning Permission to Uttlesford District Council for the conversion of a Georgian flint outbuilding into a home office at a local Grade II Farmhouse.
• Huntingdon District Council’s introduction of the Community Infrastructures Levy is causing a stir.  A charge is payable on ALL new builds and larger extensions to houses. Applicants will now have to pay a charge to the District Council and the charge amount is set by the scale of the new house or extension. Only a few Councils have currently taken up the levy but more are expected to follow suit.  Check out more on
  https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/giving-communities-more-power-in-planning-local-development/supporting-pages/community-infrastructure-levy
  
• The on-site works to the C16^th Hall House/court barn in Essex, with R J Hogg & Sons are busy and we are currently producing all the finishes and fitting schedules.
• The on-site works at the important Late Medieval Grade I Listed Country House in Suffolk by Rose Builders are going well. Excavation of the new Wood Chip Store floor has begun.  The new stone floors are now laid and looking fabulous in the Great Hall and the bathrooms.  Works to the roof are underway to the new extension.  
• On-site building works to the new WC and wash-up cupboard in the Vestry at Radwinter Church are almost finished by Lodge and Sons Builders.
• Church Builders Lodge and Sons are also on-site with us at Little Baddow Church doing essential roof repairs. The roof has now been stripped, and work has started on the timber repairs.
• On-site Works at Widdington Church are going nicely with R J Pinnock, we’ve discovered some old, coloured paintwork and the Donavon and his team at P&D decorator’s has conserved a nice Early English window, with decorative painted carvings.
• We are currently on-site at Pleshey House of Retreat with Byfords of Dunmow, who are carrying out work to provide five new En-suite shower rooms to their guest rooms.
• Building Work at the Rotunda is at an exciting stage, as the light fittings have been mounted, the external circular paving is now completed and overall finishing off is nearing completion.
• The Interior Design fitting out and building works at the Grade II listed Regency house in Essex is having the finishing touch. The old outbuilding are currently undergoing transformation into ancillary accommodate.  Air source heat pumps are being commissioned, which will provide all the heating and hot water to the house.  The Interior fitting out is now happening with the new KPT designed kitchen installed and the final curtains going up.
• Concept Design Proposal designs for a Kitchen extension to a Grade II listed Georgian, double pile former Rectory, are now with the client for their perusal. 
• On another Former Rectory, this one being Regency, we have started the concept design for internal alterations to create a new large Kitchen/Dining room in the service wing. 
• A local Grade II listed barn conversion is turning into a very exciting project, with Phase 2 of the Concept Design Drawings under way.  The owner is a well know furniture designer and manufacturer design and his approach  is for an honest conversion of the barn, so the C17th barn retains its agricultural aesthetic with very modern alterations, so the new and old juxtapose. The older medieval barn attached will be faithfully conversed using traditional materials and techniques. 
• On-site with Fairhurst Ward Abbotts at Finchingfield Guildhall, the Archaeology is almost complete. We are currently starting all the limewash decorations and the historic paintwork in the Guildroom has been conserved with a paraloid resin by specialists Hare and Humphreys. All the wide plank doors are arriving on-site for hanging.
• The Diocesan Advisory Committee have given us the thumbs up at Galleywood Church , where for Phase 1, it is proposed to relocate the organ to a new balcony at the rear and create a new youth room in the North transept. Phase 2 will be a new extension to the North aisle of the church to create a new hall, Kitchen and ancillary rooms for the wonderfully active and vibrant church.
• We held our Christmas lunch at the Eight Bells in Saffron Walden and secret Santa was good to everyone this year especially Peter, who got a book on the history of English Pub names, which, for a bunch of history boffins is unputdownable.
• Finally, we would like to wish all our wonderful Clients, Builders and Consultants a brilliant Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We’re looking forward to working with you all in 2013 and seeing building works progress/complete and starting some exciting new projects!