HISTORIC BUILDING SPECIALIST

Since 2008 we have acted as the historic adviser to North Yorkshire County Council Bridges and Environmental Services Section providing heritage advice on the maintenance, repair and reconstruction of the full range of Listed and Scheduled bridges across the County.  Most recently a successful project to reinstate the flood damaged Tadcaster Bridge involved extensive research and negotiations with Historic England to secure much needed improvements to the pedestrian environment without compromising the historic character of the structure.

A small scale development by a private developer on a constrained site this group of houses required a sensitive scheme within a conservation area, addressing issues of archaeology, ecology and trees.  In addition one of the houses was built using an innovative raft foundation and a timber frame to reduce ground loading over sensitive archaeological deposits.

Unicorn View is a traditional dales cottage which lacked modern amenities, had a poor internal layout and required substantial rectification to address damp issues and a lack of effective insulation.  Its positon in an archaeologically sensitive area, within a conservation area and adjacent to a listed building made sensitive design essential.  The extension remained substantially within the footprint of the existing structure but achieved better use of the space and an updated bathroom arrangement as well as insulation levels above current standards, effective heating solutions and a solar installation to the roof.

The prestigious Swinton Park Hotel, one of the best hotels in the North of England, sought to improve the existing spa and gym facilities and add a swimming pool to its range of facilities.  Chris worked with the owners to develop solutions to the planning and heritage issues on the site, establishing an agreed location, scale and massing for the scheme which formed the brief for the architects to develop the detailed design.  The complexity of the scheme included the conversion of existing historic buildings, new build work in sensitive locations including the setting of the Grade II* listed castle, the Registered Parkland and the Area of high Landscape Value and assimilating a range of structures into the sensitive hotel setting.  Swinton Country Club and Spa will be opening in the summer of 2017

The ruin of Scargill Castle was consolidated by Niall and Caroline Hardie-Hammond during the early years of the 21st century and Chris worked with them to design a bespoke holiday retreat which opened as a luxury holiday let in 2012.  The project involved design work, planning, listed building and scheduled monument applications and resolving the conflict between modern building regulations requirements and the sensitive historic structure to achieve a highly regarded and special environment for guests.  Scargill Castle won the County Durham Environment Award for the Built Environment in 2013

Cross Lanes Organic Farm Shop has become established over the last 7 years as one of the country’s best farm shops.  Chris gained planning consent for the development on the site of a derelict agricultural unit, developed the design to reflect the special character of the area and to utilise locally sourced materials and craft skills, and incorporated the widest possible range of environmentally sound technologies and building techniques in the structure.  Development at the site has continued including the construction of the first new heather thatched building in Northern England for 100 years, the setting out of an area of heated glass houses to produce products for the shop and the recent scheme to develop a training centre and meeting venue to compliment the main building.