Old House Project

SPAB's Matthew Slocombe and project architect Mal Fryer guide you on a tour of the old house project describing how the SPAB approach has been applied to its repair

A key feature of the sustainable approach taken by SPAB at St Andrew’s is the rammed earth acoustic wall in the garden.

Interior designer Gemma Wright shares her thoughts on continuing the narrative of St Andrew's chapel through research-led interior design.

Some updates on the interiors and services as St Andrews Chapel gets close to the final stages.

The Old House Project (OHP) hosted two very different visiting groups in October 2024.

The Old House Project is entering its final phase of work, offering us the opportunity to explore the most complex topic currently facing owners and custodians of old buildings: energy efficiency.

Learning has been at the heart of the Old House Project (OHP) since it was launched in 2019. This five-year venture was intended both as an exemplar of conservation best practice and a setting to offer practical training on the skills and materials used in the building’s repair. As a case study demonstrating how the SPAB Approach can be practically applied to turn a historic building at risk into a comfortable home, these lessons are valuable to a wide range of audiences, from craftspeople and conservation professionals to homeowners and caretakers.

At the end of 2023, minor revisions to the consent for the Old House Project (OHP) were approved by Maidstone Council. This cleared the way for the remainder of work to proceed in 2024. Still left to complete are an opening and ancillary structures at the east end, new services including solar panels and a heat pump, internal works including insulation and secondary glazing, and landscaping and boundary work to fulfil a planning condition. The last phase of repair to the exterior, at the end of 2023, involved the installation of windows.