Breathing new life into a 15th Century building in the village of Stock, Marley Alutec’s sustainable aluminium rainwater products have been sympathetically used in a luxury renovation.
Set in an idyllic village in Essex, the grade two listed Harvard Inn has been carefully restored into a restaurant, wine bar and luxury accommodation. Featuring a stunning original Tudor staircase, the project took over two years to complete and is now open for business.
As a central part of village history and sitting in the heart of a conservation area, the planning department held tight control over the specification process. Having only ever approved cast iron rainwater systems before, the planning officer insisted on viewing Marley Alutec’s aluminium product before it could be used.
Paul Fenwick, Managing Director of St John’s Court (South End) Ltd and owner of the property, commented: “Winning over the planning officer was a great success – he was very impressed with the quality and authentic look of Marley Alutec’s products.”
Installed at the property was Marley Alutec’s Evolve Deepflow guttering and Traditional 76mm ø downpipe system. While perfectly mimicking the aesthetics of cast iron systems, the Traditional range delivers performance benefits that could never be achieved using cast iron, such as easy installation and minimum maintenance, as well as excellent longevity, durability and sustainability.
Paul continued: “With the inn being such an important part of the village it was important to me to use the best materials in its renovation. Marley Alutec’s products fitted this brief perfectly as they provided the heritage aesthetic required as well as very impressive performance and sustainability credentials. The obvious choice would have been cast iron but not only would that have been more expensive, it also couldn’t deliver everything that a high quality aluminium system can.”
Made from marine grade aluminium, the Traditional downpipe is 65 per cent lighter than cast iron, making it easier to handle on site and install. All of Marley Alutec’s products boast excellent environmental credentials too, as aluminium can be recycled again and again without loss of quality, making it one of the most sustainable building materials available. What’s more, with a life expectancy of 50 years or more that is virtually maintenance free, Marley Alutec’s products will continue to look their best for many years to come – without the hassle and expense of the frequent repainting required by cast iron systems.
Paul concluded: “Marley Alutec’s products frame the building really well and I’ve been very impressed with the level of service. I couldn’t be more pleased with the finished result of the project and I’m looking forward to the village enjoying the building in its new season of life.”
