Overcoming Heritage Decay and Fire Safety Challenges at 10 & 11 Lancaster Gate
SOCOTEC UK & Ireland has been appointed by Heriot UK Ltd., to provide different services a development located at 10 & 11 Lancaster Gate, in Bayswater, London.
Challenge
This residential refurbishment project involves a material change-of-use, converting a former hotel into a six-storey block of apartments with basement (B, G+5).
Located in a prestigious residential area in Central London, this Grade II listed building conversion will deliver 11 luxury apartments in the affluent City of Westminster, positioned north of Hyde Park.
Project background and scope
The Grand terrace houses were built in 1865 and designed by John Johnson. The buildings feature iconic facades flanked by columns in the prominent entryways. Internally, the former hotel features a number of decorative elements and crown mouldings, including a grand staircase in No. 10.
SOCOTEC's brief was twofold:
- SOCOTEC’s Building Pathology Team briefed to investigate and quantify the extent of decay that had developed in the building before the works could be undertaken. Furthermore, they provided a remedial detail strategy for the external masonry envelope, internal finishes and timber structures. The property, being on the heritage at risk register due to many years of neglect, and was severely affected by roof drainage failure, dry rot fungal infection and decay. Many of the timber structures were structurally unsound, along with the associated decorative internal finishes.
- SOCOTEC’s Fire Engineering team was briefed to develop a comprehensive fire safety strategy that addressed the unique challenges of the Grade II listed building conversion while ensuring regulatory compliance. The strategy balanced life safety requirements with conservation constraints using technical solutions for the complex fire engineering challenges presented.
Solution – Building Pathology
The team provided specific and detailed recommendations upon individual building components for how they might be cost-effectively and sustainably refurbished in a manner sensitive to the historic design, its statutory listing and compatible with the original intended material-performance dynamics.
Get in touch with our Building Pathology Expert here.
Solution – Fire Engineering
To address the challenges posed by 10 & 11 Lancaster Gate, SOCOTEC’s fire engineering experts consulted all the available information to them, and addressed the following key areas:
- Evacuation Strategy: A 'stay put' evacuation strategy has been created and put in place for all residential dwellings, while ancillary areas will operate under a simultaneous evacuation protocol.
Due to conservation restrictions on the Grade II listed building, dedicated evacuation lifts could not be provided. As an alternative solution, a hybrid lift system has been designed to function as an evacuation lift when smoke or fire is detected within common areas, ensuring accessibility requirements are met while preserving the building's historical integrity.
- External wall: SOCOTEC's fire engineering team has been tasked with developing innovative solutions to meet the stringent fire safety requirements of Regulation 6(3) for a non-combustible façade, while maintaining the architectural and historical significance of the Grade II listed building.
- Central escape stair: The historically significant timber stair in Core 10 has been preserved but has been treated to reduce its contribution to fire growth and fire spread. The stair will be used as the main circulation stair during escape and firefighting operations.
Talk to our experts
While challenging, the project allowed us to develop a number of creative options for the flat and the core layouts in order to ensure that the historic elements, such as the historic stair, existing lift core and crown moulding were maintained, all while ensuring the design does meets the modern standards required when it comes to safety.
Overcoming Heritage Decay and Fire Safety Challenges at 10 & 11 Lancaster Gate
Conclusion
In the first instance, the detailed investigations by the Building Pathology team provided robust rationale and risk management advice for the refurbishment works needed to save the building from collapse, remove it from the heritage at risk register and restore it to its original grandeur.
Following on from that, the fire safety strategy put together by SOCOTEC’s experienced team for this complex development showcases their expertise in navigating the historic building conversions, while ensuring regulatory compliance is met.
By implementing innovative solutions that balance modern safety requirements with conservation constraints of this Grade II listed property, SOCOTEC successfully addressed the unique challenges presented. This is allowing the design and construction on the project to commence.
Construction works are ongoing and are expected to finished next year.
Special gratitude should be given to great work by the Construction Managers, Thomas O’Shaughnessy and George Fraser from Heriot, Michael Vale of Prest Vale Architects as well as additional support provided by Pete Muir of Fire Guidance UK LLP in the implementation of the fire safety design.
In the first instance, the detailed investigations by the Building Pathology team provided robust rationale and risk management advice for the refurbishment works needed to save the building from collapse, remove it from the heritage at risk register and restore it to its original grandeur.
Following on from that, the fire safety strategy put together by SOCOTEC’s experienced team for this complex development showcases their expertise in navigating the historic building conversions, while ensuring regulatory compliance is met.
By implementing innovative solutions that balance modern safety requirements with conservation constraints of this Grade II listed property, SOCOTEC successfully addressed the unique challenges presented. This is allowing the design and construction on the project to commence.
Construction works are ongoing and are expected to finished next year.
Special gratitude should be given to great work by the Construction Managers, Thomas O’Shaughnessy and George Fraser from Heriot, Michael Vale of Prest Vale Architects as well as additional support provided by Pete Muir of Fire Guidance UK LLP in the implementation of the fire safety design.
