Celebrating two wins at the Sussex Heritage Trust Awards 2025

We are thrilled to have seen two of our recent projects win in their categories at this year’s Sussex Heritage Trust Awards.

Directors Julian Vallis and Laurence Hall attended the luncheon and awards ceremony on 2 July at the American Express Stadium and were delighted to each receive recognition for theirs and the team’s work, as well as the much-coveted slate plaques presented by Lord Egremont.

Lord Egremont presents the winners plaque to Julian Vallis and Laurence Hall at the Sussex Heritage Trust Awards 2025

Photo credit: Love Heart Photograph

Our project at St Peter’s Well, Lodsworth was a winner in the ‘Small Scale Residential: Restoration, Conversion and Extension’ category, which recognises ‘a restoration and/or conversion of one unit.  This can include a new building extension/improvements on a listed property, where restoration has taken place’.

This sensitive renovation and extension of a grade II listed 17th century former house and malthouse transforms a neglected historic structure into a comfortable, breathable family home.  Conservation-led repairs using traditional materials were paired with thoughtful modern upgrades, including a limecrete floor, wood fibre insulation and a Bluetooth-enabled smart lighting system.  A contemporary glazed link connects the new family room to the main house, referencing the site’s malthouse history while addressing planning constraints and challenging topography through careful massing and detailing.

Rear elevation of award winning St Peter's Well

On visiting our project, the judges said:

“Every aspect of this historic refurbishment and rear addition has been carefully thought through with the end resulting in a beautiful house embracing original materials and craftmanship with a wonderfully landscaped garden.”

Our conservation repair project at St George’s Church in Kemptown, Brighton where we are the Inspecting Architect saw another win in the Ecclesiastical Building category, which acknowledges ‘a restoration, repair, conversion or development scheme, which improves all, or part of an existing or former ecclesiastical building’.

The restoration of St George’s Church, a grade II listed building, focused on internal redecoration, structural repairs and refinishing to preserve its heritage and support continued worship and community use.  Works included plaster and joinery repairs, parquet floor restoration and minor roof maintenance, all carried out using traditional materials.   A phased approach ensured the church remained operational throughout, while sustainable practices enhanced energy efficiency and protected the building’s fabric and surrounding biodiversity.

Sussex Heritage Trust Awards 2025 winner St George's Church Kemptown

Photo credit: DBR Limited

We have a longstanding client relationship with the parish and St George’s and for this project worked closely with DBR Limited building restoration services and Davies Floor Limited to prepare the church for its bicentennial celebrations (click here to read our previous News article).

The judges commented:

“A beautifully executed restoration of the interior of an outstanding Regency church. The parquet flooring was carefully restored and all interior walls and other surfaces repainted to match original colour. Richly deserves an Award.”

We are very proud and grateful to the Sussex Heritage Trust for these awards, and to our team for all their hard work on the projects.

If you would like to discuss your conservation (or any other) project, please contact us.

Some of our other conservation and ecclesiastical projects can be viewed on our Project pages.