Merry Christmas
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This year, after very long discussion, the government’s Older People’s Housing Taskforce finally started work and I was appointed as the sole architect among the 19 members, including developers, eminent academics, property professionals, local authority representatives and many others, providing expert input over a very wide range of subjects. Chaired with insight and great skill by Prof Julienne Meyer, the Taskforce, answering to the latest Housing Minister, Lee Rowley, and to Care Minister, Helen Whateley is organized in three workstreams – Places, Products and People – and I am heavily involved in the first two of these.
After 45 years of specialisation, I believe, more than ever that older people’s housing is a vital area of work, and the huge importance of the Taskforce more than justifies the huge amount of work involved.
Meanwhile design work for older people also continues at full tilt in our Hatfield Park office, with the team of eight working on an extra care development in Ashtead, retirement housing Shenley and a care home in Wallington, all currently in for planning.
Nettlebed
On the historic building side we continue to work on the conversion of a magnificent Edwardian mansion, Joyce Grove, built for Ian Fleming’s grandfather. The quality and opulence of the interiors are extraordinary, making the work especially challenging. At a more modest scale but no less absorbing are an early nineteenth century church in St Albans, and, from the early fifteenth century, a beautiful hidden house in Welwyn Garden City, and a former pub, now a church hall, in Midhurst.
Coming right up to date and by way of contrast we are working on the conversion of a Westminster penthouse, the design of a small new house in Enfield and the refurbishment of a strikingly contemporary house in Hackney.
Finally, to fill in our spare moments, Yarema and I both continue to work as expert witnesses, with work for both claimants and defendants on a wide variety of problems concerning planning, general construction defects, fire damage, timber decay and water penetration.
I think now I need to top up my caffeine levels and send our very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.