The council voted to approve the architects plans for Clandon House, a National Trust property near Guildford in Surrey, on Thursday (6 March).The approval comes despite a major recent backlash from traditionalists over the plans to preserve the 18th-century Palladian mansion as a fire-damaged shell. Classical architect Francis Terry accused the National Trust of an act of barbarism against the Grade I-listed building.But councillors praised the proposal for its major public benefits, including changes that make [the building] accessible to everyone following the tragedy of the fire that destroyed it.AdvertisementOne councillor said that while the vote was not an easy decision, he was quite excited at seeing a building stripped back I do think thats something different that can attract visitors and show something different.The stately home has sat in its current state since 2015, when a devastating fire, likely caused by an electrical fault, tore through the building destroying all but one room.The National Trust had originally planned to rebuild and restore Clandon Park, to a competition-winning design also by Allies and Morrison but u-turned on the proposal in 2022. A spokesperson put the change down to a process of detailed feasibility with our design team.Allies and Morrison continues to lead on the design with conservation design support from Purcell. Source:NH53 (creative commons)Planning officers had recommended the latest scheme for approval, concluding that it caused less than substantial harm to Clandons heritage, while preserving and restoring important features such as windows, faades, and a roof.AdvertisementThe local planning authority concluded that the proposal would ensure the stately home could maintain its optimal viable use as a much-visited cultural attraction, with new public benefits including accessibility, roof access, and the opportunity to learn about the historic construction of country houses.The planning permission is subject to referral to the secretary of state for secondary approval, as well as completion of a Section 106 legal agreement including provision of biodiversity net gain and contribution towards a long-term sustainable' travel strategy for the site.In November, submission of the planning application for the now-approved design triggered a major backlash from Classicists, which became the forefront of a major dispute within the National Trust.The Restore Trust a group of activists within the heritage organisation accused it of a tragic dereliction of duty by refusing to restore the mansion.The protestors claimed the National Trust was failing to preserve its historic buildings in favour of modish, divisive ideologies.The trust, however, has argued that the sensitive contemporary design of the light-touch proposals will bring Clandon Park back to life as a welcoming, engaging and fully functional house' and create an exciting new chapter in [the buildings] history.In January, a spokesperson said the designs reflected in-depth conversations with heritage bodies, architectural specialists, community organisations and more than 75,000 visitors to Clandon since the fire. It added that public feedback had been overwhelmingly positive.The trust added: Our vision is for a house that showcases the importance and beauty of what survived the fire and celebrates the stories of the many people who made and crafted it over centuries. Source:Allies and Morrison (taken from planning documents)Allies and Morrisons latest plans (Nov 2024) for Clandon Park House in Surrey walkways for displays and viewingIn a design and access (D&A) statement, Allies and Morrison said its proposal, which includes events space and walkways allowing views of Clandons scorched interiors, celebrates the beauty of the building that survived.It said the design would display the buildings visually dramatic and historically intriguing fire-damaged interiors while allowing visitors to learn the story of how it was designed, built and crafted over the centuries.The proposed scheme would renew the house as a fully functioning building, it said, with a new roof, windows, heating and structural repairs to conserve the surviving house, including its Speakers Parlour. Furniture and artworks would be returned to the house to form new displays.Interior walkways and a new public roof terrace will enable new ways of seeing and encountering the house that actively reveal its historic and architectural significance and enhance its visual drama, the practice added. Source:Jim Linwood creative commonsClandon Park House, Surrey, before the 2015 fire which badly damaged itAllies and Morrison was appointed in 2017 to lead the rebuild, following a star-studded contest run by Malcolm Reading Consultants. The top five AJ100 practice selected specialist Purcell to offer conservation design support.The first phase of construction works, repairing exterior walls and stonework, is expected to cost up to 20 million.Clandon Park was built in the 1720s by Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni and left to the National Trust in 1956.