Needing more space and a modern dwelling to suit their needs, Richard and Tory Benson opted to buy a detached mid-century house and transform it into the high-tech family home of their dreams

WORDS ALEXANDRA PRATT

PHOTOS SIMON BURT PHOTOGRAPHY

Richard and Tory Benson had been looking to upsize to cater for their growing family. Location was key to their search. The couple wanted to stay in their preferred area of north London to raise their two daughters, as it’s close to both transport links and the countryside to enjoy family walks.

However, they soon realised their only option in the area was to buy an existing property and substantially remodel it by adding a large extension to the rear and redesigning the interior layout.

“There weren’t many houses to suit us,” says Richard. “But this property had an amazing feel and we knew we could transform it into what we needed, which was a family home.” The pair felt ready to take on a big project and agreed that a renovation was the best way forward. “It was still a cheaper option than a move-in-ready house, and we knew we would’ve changed the property anyway.”

Challenges ahead

It took the family two years to move into their home after securing the house. The first year, the Bensons found themselves waiting for the property chain to move forward – they had to sell their dwelling and the previous owner had yet to find somewhere to buy.

Once the transfer was complete, however, several more months elapsed before works began. “The council was minded to refuse our project plans,” says Richard. The main issue arose due to the size of the proposed addition, since the property had already been extended in the past. Secondly, a neighbour was opposed to the idea of the Bensons extending and had asked other locals to object, too.

Richard engaged consultants DP9 to review the case. The firm’s specialists helped the Bensons prepare extra documentation for the officers, prompting them to change their minds. However, due to the number of objections from the other residents, they were still called to committee. “We argued the case and secured consent, albeit with some concessions to keep the neighbours happy,” says Richard.