Frogmore House – the Grade II* listed 300 year old building on Watford’s Lower High Street – has been shortlisted by the Civic Trust Awards…

Frogmore House – the Grade II* listed 300 year old building on Watford’s Lower High Street – has been shortlisted by the Civic Trust Awards for the restoration of the building by Watford Borough Council and St William Homes LLP.

The Civic Trust Awards were established in 1959 and recognise outstanding architecture, planning and design in the built environment. Frogmore House restoration project is one of only seven projects nationally to be nominated as finalists in the ‘Civic Trust AABC Conservation Award’ category. It was chosen for demonstrating the highest standards of historic building conservation and the awards will be announced on 7 March.

The property, built in 1716, was used for residential accommodation throughout the years, but the building fell into disrepair during the 1970s and was identified as a ‘Building at Risk’.

In 2019, the listed building was fully refurbished and restored at a cost of £2million to bring it back into active use allocated for office space, thanks to plans passed by Watford Borough Council. The wider redevelopment of the site granted planning permission for St William, delivered a new Lidl supermarket, the adjacent residential development and the restoration of the listed building.

With the exception of the single-storey rear extension, which was added at a later date, Frogmore House has been retained and the historical and architectural value of the building preserved. Frogmore House sits on the banks of the River Colne and as part of the plan, the concrete embankment has undergone a huge re-profiling and has been replaced with a landscaped slope that will increase the capacity of the river to reduce the flood risk.

Elected Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said: “Frogmore House is a really important part of our town’s history. Having fallen into disrepair many years ago it is great that the building has been restored, brought back into use and been recognised by the Civic Trust Awards. We are committed to preserving and enhancing Watford’s heritage, especially this year with the borough celebrating its centenary, and I’m glad that Watford Council worked with others on this successful restoration project.”

Paul Hopkins, Managing Director, St William said: “Frogmore House is one of the few Grade II* Listed Buildings in the Watford Borough. We are delighted to have been a part of the team to give Frogmore House a new lease of life, ensuring the building is protected for the long-term including the reinstatement of the Georgian style garden.”

Visit the Frogmore House and the Civic Trust Awards website for more information.