North – Summer 2022
In May H+R were appointed by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to undertake a timber and damp survey of Redcar Central Station. The Grade II listed station was constructed in 1861 by the Stockton and Darlington Railway. The building had been in use as a railway station until the late 20th Century before it was adapted into Redcar Station Business Centre. The building has been vacant since 2014 and had been targeted by lead thieves resulting in extensive damage to the roof finishes. The council is set to embark on a £5.9m plans to restoration scheme that will see the building become a key transport link and a new leisure and retail hub
In July H+R were appointed by Boohoo to undertake a preliminary timber and damp survey at Marlsbro House in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Despite its 1960s appearance the checkerboard rendered façade conceals an early example of a 19th Century mill with heavy timber floor construction. This method of floor construction used metal tongued millboards to help prevent the spread of fire internally. The mill was reportedly rebuilt with this method, following a fire that destroyed an earlier mill on the site. The building has had multiple uses throughout the years including a cotton mill, umbrella factory, raincoat factory and rehearsal space, before being deemed unsafe in 2020
In August H+R undertook a window survey for PJ Livesey on the site of the Former Kings Boy School in Macclesfield. The site had been occupied by the school for over 500 years before relocating to a new campus in 2020. Plans are in place to convert the grade II listed library, school building, gatehouse and pavilion into residential apartments. H+R were asked to comment on the condition and significance of the timber windows in order to aid with a listed building application. Whilst undertaking the survey, H+R noted graffiti to the stone windowsills dating up to the 1960s. This observation helped accurately date the removal of the original sliding sash windows for the existing replacement fixed windows
