Studio Moren’s plans approved to secure long-term future of historic Pendley Manor country house hotel
Plans have been approved by Dacorum Borough Council for a considered programme of improvements at Pendley Manor, the Grade II-listed country house hotel set within 35 acres of historic parkland on the edge of the Chilterns National Landscape.
Designed by Studio Moren, specialists in hotel architecture and interior design, the scheme seeks to enhance the quality and range of accommodation and facilities at Pendley Manor while safeguarding its architectural significance and landscape setting. The proposals aim to retain the Grade II-listed manor house and replace temporary structures with permanent, high-quality buildings, improve guest experience and accessibility, and secure the hotel’s long-term operational viability.
At the heart of the scheme is the removal of the existing temporary marquee, replacing it with a permanent events and leisure building, carefully positioned and designed to sit discreetly within the landscape. Additional guest accommodation within proposals includes a sensitively designed new bedroom wing and the reconfiguration of existing buildings, allowing the hotel to meet modern hospitality standards without compromising its historic character.
The proposals for the site were shaped through extensive pre-application engagement with planning officers and consultants and respond directly to the site’s unique context within the Chilterns and the Green Belt, located near the Chiltern Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation. Architectural interventions draw on the scale, materials and rhythms of the existing manor and estate buildings, while landscape proposals reinforce historic routes, gardens and woodland character.
A strong emphasis has been placed on sustainability and ecology. The scheme includes landscape-led drainage, biodiversity enhancements, woodland management and the use of energy-efficient systems and materials, ensuring the development contributes positively to its environment as well as the local community.
Guestroom layouts across the scheme have been carefully refined to prioritise quality over quantity, improving operational efficiency while enhancing comfort and accessibility for guests. The overall scale, architectural approach and landscape strategy remain consistent, reinforcing a cohesive and sensitive vision for the future of the estate.
Herbert Lui, Partner at Studio Moren, said:
“Pendley Manor is a place of remarkable architectural and landscape significance, and our ambition from the outset has been to work with that inheritance rather than compete with it. The proposals are deliberately measured and the alterations to the existing manor house are intended to enhance the guest experience in a way that celebrates the hotel’s spectacular setting. This work will give a new lease of life to underutilised outbuildings and remove obsolete structures to increase natural habitats for wildlife.”
Teodoro Mastrantonio, Project Architect at Studio Moren, adds:
“From a design perspective, the focus has been on clarity and coherence – removing elements that feel temporary or unresolved, and replacing them with architecture that belongs to the estate. New elements are recessive and clearly legible as contemporary additions, taking cues from the manor’s massing, materials and rhythm, while remaining quieter in their expression, allowing the historic fabric and landscape to remain the primary focus.”
Together, the approved proposals represent a balanced and future-facing approach – one that respects over a thousand years of history of its setting while ensuring Pendley Manor can continue to operate as a sustainable, high-quality country house hotel for generations to come.