The owner of Athlone House is inviting the public to review his plans to restore the historic mansion and gardens standing on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
The Athlone House working group will be displaying the visual plans today and tomorrow.
Owner Mikhail Fridman, a businessman and father-of-four originally from Ukraine, bought the house in January for a figure believed to be around £16m.
SHH Architecture and Interior Design say they will paying homage to the original 19th century designs and creating a “beautiful family home.”
The architects have researched the original drawings and photographs of the house including details such as the Dutch gables, castellations on the tower and heraldic beasts.
They also looked at how to refurbish the stone and brick with similar patterns to ensure the external “envelope” of the house could be returned to its original form.
The plan to restore the building follows a “long and hard-fought battle” from the Athlone House working group to “save” the mock Georgian building.
In October last year, previous owner Athlone House Limited, lost a High Court battle to demolish the building and replace it with a £80m palace with a basement car park.
- The Athlone House working group will be showing the visual plans for the building at the Highgate Society at 10a South Grove, Pond Square from 12.45-2.45pm today and from 10-12pm tomorrow.
- For more reaction the plans, see this week’s Ham&High.
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