Warwickshire Police | Conservation of Woodcote House

Blue lightArts, Culture and HeritageArts Culture and Heritage

27 Oct

Client: The Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire
Role: Project Manager and Employers Agent
Sector: blue light

Preserving Heritage, One Stone at a Time

DSA was proud to lead the delivery of a complex and sensitive conservation project at Warwickshire Police’s headquarters in Leek Wootton — preserving the historic Woodcote House for generations to come.

This Grade II listed landmark required expert restoration, including:

Stonework repairs and replacements
Specialist repointing
Remedial works to chimneys, roof finishes, and rainwater goods

Over an 11-month construction period, more than 450 stones were carefully replaced using locally sourced Hollington stone, matched to the original fabric of the building. These works targeted areas affected by significant decay, water ingress, and structural risk.

Despite the challenges of the site and scope, the project was delivered on time and on budget thanks to proactive planning, detailed coordination, and close collaboration with all stakeholders.

Preserving the Past. Protecting the Future.

DSA brings together conservation expertise, heritage sensitivity, and operational awareness to deliver complex projects in live environments.

Contact us to learn how we can support your next conservation project.

“The work looks even better than we expected”

– Polly Reed, Chief Executive, The Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire

“Woodcote House is not only a beautiful and historically significant building, it remains very much in active use by Warwickshire Police today. These works have helped preserve and enhance its character while ensuring that it continues to serve as a practical and well-maintained base for modern policing.”

– Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Overhead shot of a large stone two-story building with scaffolding on one side and trades vehicles outside the front.

Closeup of a section of a large two-story stone building. Blue sky sits above the building.

Arched doorway of an old stone building with two large windows to the right of the doorway.

Looking up at a large stone building on a sunny day with blue skies.

The front of a large two-story stone building with a large concrete driveway in front.

Old wooden doorway with black chrome hardware, sitting in a stone archway.

An old, large stone building with two stories on a sunny day. There is an area cornered-off by metal fencing suggesting building work is being completed.

The side of a large two-story stone building with a large concrete driveway to the front and a grass lawn to the back.

Closeup of a row of four chimneys on an old Scottish house. In the background are lush manicured gardens.

Closeup of the eaves of an old Scottish stone house.

Five men stand in front of an old stone two-story Scottish building. Four wear shirts, and one wears police uniform.

Overcoming Challenges

This project presented several unique challenges that required careful navigation:

Working Within a Live Police Headquarters

Woodcote House remained operational throughout the project. This required:

Phased working to minimise disruption
Detailed logistics planning for access and deliveries
Regular liaison with police teams to ensure security and business continuity

Stringent Security & Vetting Requirements

Given the nature of the site, all personnel and subcontractors had to undergo rigorous police vetting. DSA managed the coordination of this process to maintain project momentum while ensuring full compliance with police protocols.

Evolving Scope & Heritage Liaison

As work progressed, additional areas of deterioration were uncovered. We worked in close partnership with the local authority conservation officer to agree an evolving scope.