Rejuvenating the Prince Regent’s masterpiece

Costing a king’s ransom of circa £350 million, a Grade I stretch of Georgian London’s Cornwall Terrace overlooking Regent’s Park has undergone a thorough refurbishment and conversion with the help of the Dartford branch of Stannah Lift Services. A bespoke Stannah 8-person passenger lift has been installed into each of the eight five-storey, double-fronted ambassadorial residences that comprise the development. A Stannah 50B Microlift, or ‘dumbwaiter’, has also been installed in the largest property to provide movement of food and diningware between the kitchen and dining areas ranged over the lower floors. Designed by the architect, John Nash, in 1820, in response to the Prince Regent’s vision for a regal capital city, Cornwall Terrace was also the former headquarters of UK property investors, British Land. The project spanned eighteen months and completely retro-transformed the development from office accommodation to historically accurate residential use, with the residences marketing at prices up to and well over £60 million. Cornwall Terrace was fully restored by Falmouth Developments, part of the Oakmayne Group, with the support of main contractors, Laing O’Rourke, and architects Paul Davis & Partners, Tate & Hindle, and Darling Associates. The Stannah passenger lifts were installed early on in the development to assist the builders in the safe movement of equipment and materials between all floors. Thereafter, the main people-moving criterion was smoothness of ride and operation. This was fulfilled by the ‘hydroelite’ integrated control and drive system, a unique, eco-friendly modernisation package which ensures that every ride is even and accurate. With the drive mechanisms housed remotely in the garages, all the passenger lifts save on space. From marble floors to half-height, dark wood panelling, antique-finish mirrors and suspended white ceilings with discreet lighting, the finish reflects the immaculate neo-classical décor. The Microlift 50B features stone-enamel primed architraves and satin stainless steel car and doors. Ideal for the discreet ferrying of smaller items such as crockery, glassware, documents and medical equipment, Stannah Microlifts are in use in private and public premises throughout the UK and Europe within a multitude of environments from industrial to hospitality, leisure and medical – wherever efficient, behind-the-scenes movement of smaller goods is required. All the lifts conform to the architectural constraints of Grade I listing, an identification stage applied by English Heritage to protect the top 2.5% of historic buildings in the UK. Dartford is just one of eleven branches that comprise Stannah Lift Services nationwide network for the repair, modernisation and refurbishment and maintenance of all types of lifts, stairlifts, escalators and moving walkways from the Stannah product range, and also other lift manufacturers’ equipment. Drawing on over 140 years of lift industry experience, Stannah Lift Services was able to fulfil Oakmayne’s demanding specification and contribute significantly to the comfort and convenience of the ultra-affluent residents of this premier London address

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