Month: July 2009

City confidence leads to increased interest

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As the City starts to recover from the tumult of the last two years, workers are increasingly feeling that they can once again venture into the property market.  The City has always been a strong source of buyers and their absence has been keenly felt at all levels of the country house market.  Prices seem to have stabilised and in some cases even risen – but this relies on sellers pricing their properties realistically as buyers are now, more than ever, very price sensitive with over-priced houses languishing.

More details: ‘City confidence boosts country house sales‘ [Country Life]

Minor fire at Chastleton House, Oxfordshire

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Visitors had to be evacuated from the beautiful Grade-I listed, Jacobean, Chastleton House on Saturday 11 July when a small fire broke out in an upstairs bedroom.  Luckily, damage was minor and the house was largely unharmed, but yet another reminder that fire is always an ever present danger.

Full story: ‘Firefighters tackle stately home blaze‘ [Oxford Mail]

Simon Halabi and Mentmore Towers

Matthew Beckett - The Country Seat10 Comments

The Times (‘Halabi may have to sell-up to pay loan‘ – 16 July 2009) is reporting that Simon Halabi, the multi-millionare businessman, may have to sell part of his London property portfolio to satisfy bond holders after the value of the properties dropped by nearly half, breaching the loan-to-value ratio of the bond secured against it.  In 1997, Halabi bought the Grade-I listed Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, formerly one of the Rothschild banking family’s most famous and impressive houses,  with the intention of converting it into a luxury hotel.  It’s not known how far work on that project has progressed but the grand chateau-style house, which also starred in the film ‘Batman Begins’ as Bruce Wayne’s house, is just too important to be forgotten so I hope that his other issues don’t impact on the work being undertaken as part of that project.

2009 English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register

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Another year, another sad list of important, interesting, beautiful and sadly at risk properties.  Each year the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register and that produced by SAVE Britain’s Heritage give another sad reminder that though the UK is rich in vernacular architectural heritage there are still significant individual buildings at risk even today, after 50 or 60 years of interest in heritage protection.  Perhaps of equal concern is the fact that only 60% of local councils have their own BaR Register and often it is out of date – local councils should be the first line of defence for their local heritage.  Ask your council for their Register and if they say they haven’t got one or that it’s out of date demand to know why.

If you have the resources but most importantly a sympathetic understanding of restoration then please do consider taking on one of these buildings.  Remember that listed buildings – when well looked after and sensitively restored – always command a premium in the housing market.

Below are David Brack of English Heritage’s top five tips when taking on a restoration project:

  1. You’ll need to discover why the property is in the state it is?
  2. Get a proper survey.
  3. Appoint a good architect.
  4. Employ a good builder.
  5. Maintain contact with your Conservation Officer throughout your renovation.

Full story: ‘The pitfalls of buying a romantic wreck‘

Prince Charles and SPAB

Matthew Beckett - The Country Seat

It seems such a shame that Prince Charles and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings have fallen out.   This seems to be a classic case of dogmatic positions leading to the removal of a nose to the detriment of the face.  Both the Prince and SPAB have campaigned for the same causes and seem to sing from the same hymnsheet so often yet I can understand why SPAB felt as they did and similarly why HRH felt slighted.  Compromise can be the bitterest pill to swallow and I can only hope that there is a rapprochement in the future – for the sake of providing a better voice for conservation in the UK.

Full story: ‘Prince Charles resigns over restoration rumpus‘