Demolition & Rebuild of Fire Damaged Grade II Listed Residential Property

PROJECT

Demolition and Re-build of Fire Damaged Grade II Listed Residential Property

LOCATION

Oxford

SECTOR

Residential

PROJECT VALUE

£1,500,000 + VAT

PROJECT DURATION

14 months

ROLE

Building Design & Specification
CDM & Building Safety
Contract Administration & Project Monitoring
Party Wall & Neighbourly Matters

JP Bedfords provided contract administration and project management for the reinstatement of a four-bedroom, Grade II listed oak-framed barn following a serious fire, which destroyed the majority of the building. Only the timber framework adjacent to the party wall and a few finishes remained.

Working alongside our in-house architect technician, an external structural engineer, and an oak frame contractor, we carried out two stages of clearance and enabling works in co-ordination with the Local Conservation Officer. This allowed the team to assess whether the remaining structure could be retained or if a full rebuild was more practical. The latter option was agreed with the insurers and Conservation Officer, and after months of design, planning, tendering, and consultation, works commenced in May 2023 and were completed in August 2024.

Key challenges included limited information about the original building, requiring close collaboration with the clients to produce detailed drawings and specifications that accurately represented the original barn while allowing necessary upgrades to meet Building Regulations. Site access was also constrained, as the property sits on a narrow country lane shared with neighbouring barns. To overcome this, we negotiated with adjacent landowners to construct a temporary access track and turning circle, ensuring safe delivery of materials while maintaining good relationships with neighbours.

The project successfully restored the barn with sensitivity to its historic character while incorporating modern standards of safety, quality, and functionality.