A developer has announced plans to return Wokingham’s iconic Tudor House back to its former glory when the doctor’s surgery leaves in the new year.
Tony Pudner, founder of Oakwood Youth Challenge on the outskirts of the town, successfully bid last December for the 16th Century building in Broad Street and has submitted plans to convert the landmark into two homes.
Mr Pudner, of Waterloo Road, said: “It’s a stunning building. In my view it’s the best listed building in Wokingham.
“It’s beautiful inside and out and deserves good treatment. There are a lot of emotions tied up with this building and people would like to see it done right.”
The 58-year-old has renovated 10 listed buildings in Wokingham and Bracknell in the last three decades, but this is his first venture into a Grade II* listed building.
“I enjoy doing listed buildings,” he said. “They are a completely different challenge to new built houses.
“There’s a lot of interesting history and some very old buildings in Wokingham.
“I want to turn Tudor House into two residential units as this was its original use.
“It could have been a restaurant or other people might have turned it into houses of multiple occupation, but this is the most natural use
for it.
“There are lots of new buildings round the back for some of the doctors’ rooms. We are taking them all down.”
Tudor House Rectory Road Medical Practice is due to move from its historic buildings in Broad Street and Rectory Road to a new surgery in Ash Court, Rose Street, in January.
Mr Pudner added: “They’ve looked after it quite well. There is stuff that needs doing, but that comes in the package with this building. It’s a lovely building with a lovely atmosphere and I want to retain that.”
The developer hopes to start work immediately after the move in January and estimates the project will take six to 12 months.
Peter Must, chairman of The Wokingham Society, feels reassured the plans are based on good principles. He said: “Mr Pudner met the committee a few weeks ago and showed us what he proposes.
“He said he was a conservationist as much as a developer and we ended feeling very comforted the plans not only respect the external features, but also restore as much as he can in the interior.”
Two planning applications have been submitted to Wokingham Borough Council requesting a change of use for the property with the demolition of existing extensions and a detached garage before the construction of a two-storey extension and detached garage/cycle store.
To view the plans online and make any comments visit www.wokingham.gov.uk/planningcontrol/planning/planningapplications and search for reference numbers F/2013/1168 and LB/2013/1169.