March News at KPTA
- We have entered one of our Wedding Venue Country House projects into the RIBA 2012 Regional Conservation Awards.
- We have also entered one of our Country House projects into the HHA/Sotheby’s Restoration Award 2012.
- We are very pleased that our January submission to the RICS Awards has been shortlisted.
- We are very pleased that the joint SMC/KPT CEDIA Awards 2012 entry of a home cinema has been shortlisted.
- At Finchingfield Guildhall, we exposed a 15th Century crown post and wattle and daub panels, hidden under a temporary tin roof. We discovered, in a wall, 15th century Mullions with “high status” scalloped profile. A wrought iron casement window has been found, and confirmed as being 17th century.
- The Round House is nearing completion. The installation of hand-made oak doors and windows have turned this into a very pretty building. Floor tiles are being laid.
- Permission has been granted allowing building and roofing works to a 15th century moated Hall House. These works have now commenced.
- An application has been submitted for the conversion of a fine group of Listed farm buildings – including two Grade I Listed barns – to a wedding venue, set in beautiful Essex countryside.
- An application has been submitted for conversion work to a find Regency farm house – including a ‘Regency’ veranda and orangery extension.
- The Chancellor of the Exchequer stunned us, our clients and our contractors with his shock announcement, in The Budget on 21 March, that the VAT relief which currently applies to alterations to listed buildings is to be withdrawn with effect from 1 October 2012.
- Nicola has completed the final unit of her MSc Timber Building Conservation course. This included Consolidation and Surface Finishes and Non-structural repair and treatment, and was held at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum. Nicola now has to carry out her dissertation to complete her course.
- Muriel attended a seminar on “Successful marketing of your practice in difficult times” at the Smartlife Centre in Cambridge.
- Monica and Maria attended the Ecobuild Event in London, a day of seminars, exhibitions and displays on sustainable design, construction and the built environment.
- After many grueling lunchtime runs, Monica successfully completed the Cambridge Half Marathon in 2 hours 4 minutes, and raised £328 for her chosen charity, Cancer Research
- This Specialist decorative paint scheme by KPT and Howell and Bellion at Leytonstone Church continues. Historic painted gold leaf stars been uncovered above the font and, by sheer coincidence, these match the proposed scheme for the new painting onto the vaulted porch ceiling, which is to have gold stars on blue night sky!
- KPT, in collaboration with SMC ( a communication/entertainment installer), have entered a new home cinema they designed into the Cedia Awards 2012.
- We have also entered Spains Hall into the RICS 2012 Conservation Award.
- Thatching of the Rotunda has been completed. The vertical, wide board oak cladding is currently being fitted to the exterior and the oak windows are also being installed.
- Architect Monica Corcoran passed the Construction Skills Managerial and Professional Health and Safety Test with flying colours.
- The works at Finchingfield Guildhall with Fairhurst Ward Abbotts are at an exciting stage. Some of the modern windows and cement render have been removed at the rear, exposing the frame. We have found two more ovolo moulded, 15th Century windows in the Guildroom and a high status 15th Century oriel window on the front façade! This is fantastic news, as the Guildhall is revealing more of its history and past use every day.
- The new Kitchenette, WC and Balcony building works at Bush End church, with R J Pinnock, are continuing and the new breather floor has been laid.
- The re-roofing of a C15th moated Hall House, with R J Hogg, is underway, with the stripping of the clay peg tiles. This will expose the beautiful crown-post roofs and later C16th purlin roofs, which we’re looking forward to seeing.
- The complete renovation works of a Regency house/former pub in Essex, with Illife & Sons, is still on-site, with the cement render removed and the frame exposed. This has revealed an elm frame, which will be repaired like-for-like with British elm. The new breather perimeter floors have also been laid, which will ensure the old frame stays dry.
- We received Planning permission/Listed Building Consent for a new pitched roof (replacing a flat roof) over a swimming pool in Fulbourn.
- We received Listed Building Consent for internal alterations to a 16th Century house in Saffron Walden
- The glass/oak screened room in the South Aisle at Great Chesterford church is complete. Pop in and have a look!
