Owners of 18th century mansion near Leamington have new plans on the table for its redevelopment

Owner Louise Hartog said: "The aim of the project is to demolish the existing ugly extensions and replace these with two new properties on the site.”
Offa House in Offchurch. Photograph provided by  Louise Hartog.Offa House in Offchurch. Photograph provided by  Louise Hartog.
Offa House in Offchurch. Photograph provided by Louise Hartog.

The owners of an 18th century mansion near Leamington have new plans on the table for its redevelopment.

In 2017, The Hartog family bought the grade II listed Offa House in Offchurch to be used as their home but they have since had applications to completely renovate the 27-bedroom building turned down by Warwick District Council.

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Now the family has altered the plans - which will soon be considered by the council's planning committee again.

The existing extensions of Offa House in Offchurch which the Hartog family wants to demolish and replace with two new properties.The existing extensions of Offa House in Offchurch which the Hartog family wants to demolish and replace with two new properties.
The existing extensions of Offa House in Offchurch which the Hartog family wants to demolish and replace with two new properties.

Owner Louise Hartog said: "The aim of the project is to demolish the existing ugly extensions and replace these with two new properties on the site - one of which is for a parent.

"The current plans are the result of addressing prior refusals for developing the house and grounds.

"A big step forwards for the conservation element has been that Historic England has no objections to the application on heritage grounds.

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"This is strengthened by an independent site visit by the Georgian Group, which concluded 'considerable efforts had been made to arrive at a sympathetic scheme and had no objection in principle to these proposals'.

An artist's impression of how the back of Offa House would look if the existing extensions are demolished. Image courtesy of Louise Hartog.An artist's impression of how the back of Offa House would look if the existing extensions are demolished. Image courtesy of Louise Hartog.
An artist's impression of how the back of Offa House would look if the existing extensions are demolished. Image courtesy of Louise Hartog.

"Additionally, the local Conservation Advisory Forum recently concluded 'while it was agreed that there were positives and negatives to the application, it was noted by some members that the new houses were of an attractive and well thought out design, located at the boundaries of the site thereby preserving optimum green space so, whilst there are issues, a good scheme may be passed over for a faultless scheme that may never come, at an overall detriment to the asset'.”

Louise added that there is "overwhelming support" in Offchurch for Offa House to be "sympathetically restored".

The Diocese of Coventry began looking for alternative uses for Offa House – once a Christian retreat - in 2013.

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In 2015, planning permission was granted to turn it into a Syrian refugee centre but too much work was required to make it available in a suitable timeframe.

Louise said: "With the passing years the condition of the house has deteriorated significantly meaning any similar proposals would require too significant an investment to return it to commercial use."