Portland Place

Set within the Harley Street Conservation Area and a short walk from Regent’s Park, this Grade II* townhouse is part of the distinguished Adam brothers’ composition along Portland Place. Designed in the late 1770s, the building retains many of its defining characteristics — balanced room proportions, refined detailing and intricate decorative plasterwork. By 2015, however, years of alteration and incremental change had softened the clarity of the original design. The owners sought to return the house to use as a single private residence, restoring its architectural integrity and strengthening its historic presence.

Client

Private

Location

London

Designation

Grade II*

Year

2015 – Present

What we did

We were appointed to secure planning permission and listed building consent, and to guide the heritage approach throughout the project. Working alongside the lead architects and a multidisciplinary team, we undertook a detailed appraisal of the building’s evolution, assessing and revealing where original fabric could be repaired or reinstated. Our role was to ensure that each intervention — from the treatment of plasterwork and joinery to the organisation of rooms and services — supported a coherent conservation strategy. We prepared the heritage statements, advised on design development, and worked with the local authority to secure a set of permissions that respected the building’s significance while accommodating contemporary living expectations.

the outcome

Consent was granted in 2015, with further refinements agreed in 2017, 2020 and 2021 as we honed the design. The approved scheme restores the townhouse’s architectural hierarchy and enhances its Adam interiors, re-establishing the qualities that make Portland Place one of London’s most distinctive Georgian streets. The project provides a clear, sustainable framework for the building’s long-term care — a sensitive reconciliation of historic character and modern domestic use.

services we provided

Architecture and Surveying

Conservation architectural services (RIBA Stages 0–7)

Heritage Consultancy

Heritage statements

Design guidance for historic buildings