Former naval college to get modern makeover

Monday 10 September 2018

A vintage car enthusiast has laid out plans to transform a former naval college in Jersey into a five-bed family mansion featuring a dedicated garage and workshop for his beloved automobiles.

The naval school closed back in the 60s and since then has fallen into disrepair with a number of “unsightly, bulky barns” on the site, which is known as Seymour Farm.

But Alistair Calvert, who works in the funds sector, and his wife, an equine physiotherapist, have now put in a planning application to restore the space by demolishing the barns to make way for a family home.

They bought Seymour Farm last year after moving to the island, and then got to work in liaising with designers, including the “master planners for Jersey Zoo” and a firm of ironsmiths to create gates nodding to the site's naval past.

Located at the junction of Mont Mallet and la Rue des Marettes in St. Martin, Seymour Farm was on the market for four years. Bound by fields owned by the couple, it includes a “loose collection of buildings”: a large barn from 1895, a garage and storage shed built in 1934 as a pigsty.

Pictured: The site is located at the junction of Mont Mallet and la Rue des Marettes in St. Martin.

A Grade 4 listed galleried cottage, which used to be naval barracks, and an associated historic coach house, are also on the site. They used to be linked to Old Cadet House, which was the site of a Naval School, which opened in the spring of 1863 and closed in December 1969. Both buildings are described as being "in poor repair and in need of comprehensive refurbishment and restoration" and the Calvert family has submitted a separate Planning Application for their renovation. 

The current application aims to demolish the barn, garage and storage, described as "unsightly, bulky barns" in the Design Statement compiled by Adam Architecture, to make way for a five-bedroom family home. 

Speaking to Express, Mr Calvert said he and his wife chose the area for its proximity to their children's schools.

"It's a good combination of a rural location but accessible," he said, adding that the couple, who spent six years renovating their previous home, originally tried to work within the existing building.

Pictured: Regency style was popular in Jersey in the 19th century.

"This will be our first new build. Unfortunately we were not able to keep the building. We wanted to convert it but it proved to be impossible because of the condition it was in. We actually spent six months trying to find a way to keep it."

The new house will be lower than the barn, reducing the building’s footprint by a third. It will be built in Regency style, with full height pilasters on the façade. The architects considered this style to be a natural choice because of its popularity in the island. It can be found in many rural houses built by the early 19th century as well as older buildings that were remodelled at the time. 

"It also works well with the listed buildings within the site – the former naval barracks and coach-house," the architects added. A report detailing the design adds that the character was based entirely on "the traditional architecture found in Jersey and incorporates many traditional features," such as simple symmetrical chimney stacks.

Plans for the site also include a garage and workshop where Mr Calvert can indulge his interest in classic and vintage cars. "They have a tendency to break down so I somewhere to play with them and fix them. It's kind of my hobby," he said.

Pictured: The new build will have a smaller footprint than the current one. (ADAM Architecture)

The first floor level over the Garage, will include a 6m long bat roost with a simple timber louvred bat access window in a bid to preserve local wildlife. Swallow cups will also be hung from timber rafters supporting the partial open roof over the refuse area.

The landscape design for Seymour Farm will be carried out by award-winning practice Colvin and Moggridge. The architects describe them as "the master planners for Jersey Zoo, well known for their timeless and classic designs." 

As a nod to the site's heritage, the Calverts are also planning to have gates specially designed to commemorate the Old Royal Navy Training School. The gate will be located at the front of the site facing the junction of Le Mont Mallet and la Rue des Marettes. Costing between £25,000 and £35,000 it would form part of the percentage for art projects. Mr Calvert explained the couple has staged a competition between a Jersey artist and one from Wales and will pick the best design for the gate.