Historic hunting lodge converted into new homes

Nottingham Trent University students meet with Steve Bateman, of Grace Homes, at the Sysonby Lodge conversion project

Standing on a hill close to the town, Sysonby Lodge has lived through many incarnations since its construction back in the early 19th century.

It was latterly the HQ for the Institute of Packaging but has had several famous tenants, including The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and the banker Mr W J Barclay, as well as Churchill.

Grace Homes is converting the grade two listed main house, which was formerly known as Plymouth Lodge, and neighbouring stabling, into 10 dwellings, with a further 20 new homes being built in the surrounding parkland.

Sysonby Lodge, which is being converted into new homes

Nottingham Trent University undergraduate students studying building surveying, property development and planning were given a site tour

to bring to life the ‘enabling development’ process they are currently studying.

Steve Bateman, planning and technical director with the developers, talked through the intricacies of working with a listed building, opening the eyes of many students as to just how difficult it can be to work with such properties.

The students were able to fully explore this former hunting lodge, taking in the different phases of the development process, from stripping back to the original structure to the restoration, and, where necessary, the sensitive replacement of key structural elements.

Toby Ebbs, a senior lecturer at the university, said: “The students found the experience invaluable, and some mentioned how they had previously had no idea just how difficult it is to work with listed buildings.”