Basingstoke’s Mountbatten House to receive sustainable new lease of life
Mountbatten House, a large grade two listed building, cited as one of the 15 most important modern listed buildings in the UK, is set to be restored to its former glory as part of an extensive refurbishment of the property and its terraced gardens.
Longstock Capital, developer of Mountbatten House, intends to make significant investment in the property to restore both the building and its gardens to provide new modern office space for Basingstoke.
Mountbatten House’s roof-garden has become an ‘iconic symbol’ for Basingstoke and is affectionately known as ‘the Hanging Gardens of Basingstoke’. The landscape and garden terraces were recognised as significant by the award of a separate Grade II status for the entire site by English Heritage in January 2015.
Landscape architecture practice Grant Associates, the lead designers of the world-recognised Gardens by the Bay, are leading on the full renewal of the historic gardens. The landscape proposals will enable increased usage and access to the garden spaces, enhance the richness and areas of current planting by building on the original layouts and principles, and promote urban biodiversity. The comprehensive renewal will improve year-round access around the gardens and provide seasonal interest and interaction between the inside and outside spaces of the building.
Rainwater harvesting will irrigate all of the garden areas and a wealth of sustainable features will be delivered via the scheme.
With ambitions to ensure that the building meets modern sustainability standards, an application has been submitted to put photovoltaic cells at roof level, which it is anticipated will generate annual carbon savings of 50 tonnes. The building’s glazing is also set to be replaced, having a significant impact on the energy consumption, while the property itself will have 77 electric car parking spaces and charging stations.
This project is a heritage-led redevelopment scheme, involving the updating, repair and reuse of the Listed Building and the Gardens. The proposals set out the redevelopment of a high-quality and sensitive landscape scheme that fully reflects the original vision and sensitive context and provides a new 21st century landscape layer for its future users which respond to contemporary issues of office workers and visitors.
It is fantastic news that one of Basingstoke’s most recognisable buildings is to be reborn. The deal agreed means substantial new investment into creating 21st century offices that will be just what today’s businesses are looking for. In time it will bring jobs, and business rates for the council to direct towards services for our residents. The council’s willingness to sell a new lease allows the long leaseholder to fund the extensive improvement works in the building.
More information can be found here: www.basingstokeobserver.co.uk/new-lease-of-life-for-mountbatten-house
