Tom Cardoe, Head of Restoration at Henley Group, explains why restoration is so important within the construction industry.
Building restoration is the preservation of historical, heritage and listed buildings – a process that ensures the historic fabric of the building is repaired and maintained, meaning it’s not forgotten or lost for future generations.
In the last year, 233 historic buildings in the UK have been restored to their original state by various companies with local authorities, communities, owners, and stakeholders. In the last year, Henley Stone Restoration and Remedials has restored 21 sites, with 34 more projects in the pipeline.
This includes the Grade I-listed Manchester Town Hall, home to the City Council, which was originally completed in 1877 and is one of the finest examples of Neo-Gothic architecture. It is being updated to modern safety and accessibility standards, with structural repairs including internal stonework, mosaic flooring and replacing each tile on the roof. Other major projects include the iconic Grade II-listed Grosvenor Gardens House, built in 1868 in the style of French Renaissance.
Currently, there’s over 1,400 historic buildings at risk of dereliction or demolition on the Buildings at Risk register, which could mean a catastrophic loss to Britain’s heritage. Without buildings being restored, we will lose the crafts people and skills needed to repair them in the future, so the case for restoration has never been stronger.
Cultural Heritage
Many historical buildings have educational value which we can learn from in terms of repairs, as well as the original architectural design. We can learn lots from these structures in terms of past construction practices and techniques. Buildings of a certain era are usually built with different, higher quality materials usually found in pre-World War II buildings, when building materials were often more expensive than the labour needed to install them. Today, this scale of material versus labour cost is the opposite, whereby building owners pay more for labour to complete the works than the materials. Historic buildings are generally sturdy and dependable too, meaning once properly restored, an older building is as reliable as a new one, if not more.
There’s architectural importance to consider too – older buildings have an interesting, unique, and ornate approach to design, which is rare in the modern world. They also serve as a reminder of a town’s culture and past, connecting us to previous generations and playing a large part in a city or town’s distinct charm.
In all restoration works, the goal is to complete the project in a way which is sympathetic the original building, ensuring the new repairs can’t be recognised. Repairs must not detract or jar the aesthetic beauty or the historic nature of the building but complement and ensure the building’s heritage fabric remains functional and safe for its user and observers.
Boost in Business
Restoration to a historical building can have a positive impact on the local economy and significantly boost the performance of a business, particularly businesses based in notable or extravagant historic buildings.
Businesses in the leisure and tourism industry in particular are most likely to gain the most from a well-restored, attractive historical building which lures the public in due to its aesthetic appeal. It can also cause a notable shift in tourism if the building is one with a significant history and tale to tell, acting as a key tourist attraction.
For example, we’ve recently started to restore the traditional brickwork on a 19th century Grade II listed building complex, Rutland Mills, in Wakefield. The restoration and repair project will honour the 200-year-old architecture to transform the derelict building into a world class creative hub, Tileyard North, which will be the largest outside of London. The site will become a thriving cultural hub with facilities for music and digital studios, start-ups, creatives, and the local community. The scheme will also create educational spaces, a hotel, food and drink.