Plans submitted to repair partly collapsed ceiling in listed building in Kingston
Plans have been submitted to repair a partly collapsed ceiling in the library of listed building Four Acres.
The site is located on George Road in Kingston.
An application document writes: "Four Acres is a large house which was designed by the architect George Warren in 1929 in what may be described as a combination of Tudor Vernacular Revival style with additional Arts and Crafts inspired features.
"The house was originally built for Commander Norman Holbrook V.C, a First World War submariner and war hero, who appears to have lived there until the start of the Second World War, when the house was requisitioned and used as a base for the Dutch government and Royal family, and senior American leaders at various times.
"The building was bought by Unilever in 1954, who turned it into an employee training centre.
"The house was subsequently renovated and expanded in the 1970's when an amphitheatre, gym, swimming room and hotel rooms were added.
"The building was listed in 2001. In the 2010s, Unilever appointed dMFK Architects to renovate and remodel the building, which has been successfully completed."
The ceiling over the Westernmost room, which is used as a library, partly collapsed in August 2023.
The document writes: "It was considered that the cause of the collapse was a combination of a poorly installed curtain pattress and vibration/structural movement associated with refurbishment works.
"It was found that the ceiling comprised a combination of the historic lath and plaster together with areas of modern plasterboard.
"A number of options were considered, including replacing the ceiling with plasterboard and patch repairing the failed parts of the ceiling, but the decision was taken that too great a proportion of the ceiling was in poor condition to make patch repair a viable long-term solution.
"The adverse visual impact combined with the need for formal Listed Building Consent, the time that this process would have taken, and the possibility that such an application would be refused, meant that replacing the ceiling with plasterboard was not considered to be a viable option.
"In order to provide the quickest and most sympathetic option, the decision was taken to replace the entire ceiling on a like for like basis using lime plaster over timber laths, and to subsequently apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development.
"Consequently, a Schedule of Works and Specification which reflect best conservation practice and specified traditional materials and techniques were written, and the contract was put out to tender using these.
"The works were subsequently completed in accordance with this SoW and Specification.
"It is considered that the replacement of this ceiling represents a like for like repair, and the current ceiling is identical in both appearance, and composition to the historic ceiling."
Four Acres is a "premier destination" for conferences, events, and meetings.
Kingston Council is yet to make a decision.
You can view the full application here.
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