2nd February 2024: The Listed Property Owners' Club (LPOC) - the only membership organisation in the UK supporting the owners of the 500,000 Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings - has announced the winners of its inaugural Listed & Modern Architectural Awards. Presented at LPOC's annual The Listed Property Show on 2 Feb, hosted this year at Kensington Olympia, the awards recognise innovative and inspirational traditional and modern extensions and refurbishments to listed properties, those where planning approval is often hard to achieve. The results are often jaw-dropping, pushing the boundaries of home design and sustainability, whilst successfully contributing to the special interest of the listed building.

Martin Anslow, Director of the Listed Property Owners Club (LPOC), who works with listed homeowners every day, comments: “People tend to fit buildings into discrete categories, and for some the concept of a property falling into both 'listed' (and therefore 'traditional') and 'modern' can seem rather contradictory. The challenge arises when we consider the hoops we must jump through, as it can be difficult meeting a brief, appeasing the local planning authority and building something beautiful. It can be a challenge to obtain listed building consent even for a small extension, let alone a full renovation or architectural transformation.

"When it comes to altering or extending a listed building in a contemporary manner, there is arguably a postcode lottery. Planning issues are complex, and whilst the Planning Acts are national, Local Plan policies and the interpretation of all legislation can vary – and besides, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The team at the Listed Property Owners Club is uniquely positioned, with a viewpoint that reflects the experience of both local authority conservation officers and listed property owners. We speak extensively to planning departments and listed building owners, nationwide. It is this expertise and insider perspective that we've applied to these awards. In so doing, we hope to inspire others to develop thoughtful, beautiful and modern extensions for listed buildings.”

Peter Bell, LPOC Conservation Advisor, comments: "I have spent many years guiding owners of Britain's historic structures and believe it is important to celebrate those who take good care of our shared heritage while adapting it for modern life. We created these awards to shift the public perception that listed status freezes a building in time. Special character evolves, enriched by each generation and we want to highlight the possibilities for listed homes. “Ultimately, we want to make clear that listed status is not a barrier to change and need not deter owners from installing modern amenities or extensions to serve evolving needs. By partnering thoughtfully with conservation architects, even the most ambitious of renovations can sensitively unite old and new."

Dr Jonathan Duck, LPOC Conservation Advisor, comments: "Ultimately, the Listed and Modern Awards spotlight the abundant potential for sensitive, cutting-edge extensions and renovations of listed buildings. With over 20 years of experience as a local authority conservation officer, I focus on the appropriateness and sensitivity of additions and alterations, including factors such as scale, visual cohesion, and use of local materials.

"Importantly, the awards show that heritage and sustainability need not be at odds. The Retrofit of the Year winner, Athelhampton, represents an exemplary sustainability makeover. Encompassing an entire Grade-I listed estate, interventions range from fabric upgrades to onsite renewables like solar arrays and heat pumps – transforming the site as part of a carbon-neutral model for the future.

“Though some may debate the extent of alterations, my view is that Athelhampton retains its essential character while leaping ahead in terms of energy efficiency, showing that our historic built environment can be adapted to stand resilient for generations to come. With input from conservation specialists, architects, contractors and other experts, we can work collectively to prove that protected spaces can likewise be spaces that help preserve our planet."

Winners

Residential Modern Extension of the Year: Ivy Farm, Little Sodbury Gloucestershire – Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

Despite its listed status, Grade II Ivy Farm had suffered from a combination of ungainly additions and inappropriate maintenance methods, so its new owners wanted to bring a 21st century element to the Cotswolds home during its renovation. Working with a heritage consultant alongside South Gloucestershire's conservation officers, the overall aim has been to confidently employ modern construction with appropriate sensitivity so that the historical character of the original house emerges enhanced from the process. Today the Cotswold farmhouse has evolved into a flexible light-filled home that is well suited to contemporary family living.

Martin Anslow, Director at LPOC, said on Ivy Farm: “This modest home went from Cotswolds crumble to country kudos; a worthy winner showcasing subtlety and imagination.”

Residential Remodelling and Refurbishment of the Year: Martello Tower, Suffolk Coast - Piercy & Co.

The restoration of a Napoleonic-era Martello Tower on the Suffolk Coast has been awarded Residential Remodelling and Refurbishment of the Year, with recognition given to architects, Piercy & Co for pushing the principles of conservation beyond preservation and breathing life into an at-risk structure. Taking ten years in total, converting this extraordinary military building into a family home acts as a testament to the collaboration and commitment of all contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.

Martin Anslow, Director at LPOC, said on Martello Tower: “This at-risk structure required military precision to push the boundaries of preservation across a decade, resulting in an extraordinary family home.”

Ruins, Wild and Remote: Plas Gwyn, Y Ffôr, Pwhelli Gwynedd, North Wales - Donald Insall Associates

A 16th century farmhouse in North Wales, in which the transformation of Plas Gwyn into modern family home shows how carefully considered interventions can breathe new life into a building and help secure financial sustainability in rural communities. The proposals merged respectful conservation and responsible environmental considerations in a unified approach, with an emphasis on retaining the historic spaces and their character as much as possible, it was proposed that internal alteration within the farmhouse was kept to a minimum.

Martin Anslow, Director at LPOC, said on Plas Gwyn: “An excellent surviving example of a relatively rare building type, Plas Gwyn shows that love and attention, when applied sensitively, can weave a rich story and enhance a building's unique character.”

Energy Efficiency Retrofit of the Year: Athelhampton House, Puddletown, Dorchester - SPASE Design

The Grade I listed manor has undergone a pioneering two-year transformation to become an operationally carbon neutral building, the first of its kind in the UK to achieve this accolade. The brief saw the sympathetic modernisation of this protected historic site, resulting in the elimination of approximately 100 tonnes of CO2 per year and saving the client approx. £150,000 in annual energy bills.

Martin Anslow, Director at LPOC, said on Athelhampton House: “The rich heritage of this ancient manor is being powered into a new era, acting as the blueprint for sustainable heritage architecture.”

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Notes to editors

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About the Listed Property Owners' Club

Established in 1993, the Listed Property Owners Club (LPOC) is the authoritative source of information and advice on the maintenance, responsibilities and obligations of ownership of Britain's protected buildings. Supporting the owners of the 500,000 Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings in the UK, it employs a team of advisory conservation officers, planners, legal and tax advisors plus has a nationwide suppliers directory of restoration tradesmen. Working side by side with Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw, and the UK Parliament, to provide one the UK's leading voice for knowledge, support and change within the listed building sector. Additionally, it provides a voice in Parliament to represent the views of its members, acting as secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Listed Properties supported by 52 MP's.