Conisbee is a consulting structural and civil engineering practice with specialist expertise in historic buildings, conservation and the adaptation of existing structures. Established in 1982, the practice has offices in London, Cambridge, Norwich and Colchester.
Its work ranges from smaller refurbishment and extension projects to substantial redevelopment and new construction. For historic buildings, its services bring together structural assessment, repair design and engineering advice on how existing fabric can be retained, repaired and adapted.
Conisbee offers engineering consultancy for listed buildings and scheduled monuments, including assessment of their structure and fabric, the development of conservation repairs and studies of potential alterations or future uses. Its published heritage services also include forensic engineering and expert witness work.
The practice's heritage team includes engineers registered on the Conservation Accreditation Register for Engineers (CARE). This is an individual professional accreditation for engineers with specialist conservation knowledge, rather than a company-wide certification.
For an owner or project team, the relevant service may be an initial investigation of an existing structure, advice on a proposed adaptation, or detailed engineering input into a wider conservation scheme. The scope of investigation, design and reporting should be agreed for the particular building and project.
Assessment of existing buildings, refurbishment and repair are established parts of Conisbee's practice. These services are relevant where a project involves retaining an existing structure, changing its use, introducing new accommodation or developing an extension alongside older fabric.
Its published experience includes historic cultural buildings, museums, theatres, cemetery structures and residential refurbishment. Its portfolio encompasses both historic buildings and structures within historic landscape settings.
Alongside structural engineering, Conisbee provides civil engineering consultancy. Its published service areas include flood-risk considerations, traffic-impact assessment and sustainable drainage design. These capabilities may be relevant where a conservation or reuse project also involves changes to site access, external areas or drainage infrastructure.
The civil engineering requirements of a project should be established alongside the building proposals, with the appropriate specialists appointed for each part of the work.
Conisbee's project portfolio records specialist civil and structural engineering advice for Norfolk Museums Service on the redevelopment of Norwich Castle Keep. The project demonstrates the practice's involvement in the adaptation of a major historic building for museum use.
The practice provided engineering expertise to LW Theatres Group for the restoration of the Grade I-listed Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This is a relevant example of engineering consultancy within a substantial historic theatre restoration project.
Conisbee's published work at Highgate Cemetery includes structural design for a gardeners' compound and the repair, rebuilding and strengthening of boundary walls. Its project account also describes experience with the site's monuments, stairs and other historic features.
Heritage conservation and reuse form part of Conisbee's stated services. The practice also publishes material addressing structural reuse, retrofit and resource efficiency. For conservation projects, this provides a relevant connection between the assessment of existing structures and decisions about their continued use.
Owners considering refurbishment or adaptation can discuss the structural implications of retaining existing fabric and the engineering requirements of proposed changes. Any project-specific environmental targets, assessments or certification requirements should be agreed directly with the design team.
Conisbee appears in the Building Limes Forum's corporate membership directory. The practice is also listed by Timber Development UK under Alan Conisbee Associates. These are organisational memberships and should be distinguished from the individual CARE registrations held by engineers associated with the practice.
For an initial enquiry, provide the property address, a brief account of the building and any heritage designation, the reason engineering advice is required, and the proposed scope of work. Existing drawings, photographs and previous survey reports can help explain the project.
Ask the practice to confirm the appropriate office and project team, geographical availability, the proposed investigation and design scope, and the relevant conservation experience of the engineers who would undertake the commission.
London office: 1–5 Offord Street, London N1 1DH
Telephone: 020 7700 6666
Email: design@conisbee.co.uk
Website: www.conisbee.co.uk
Regional offices: Cambridge, Norwich and Colchester.
| Services & Expertise | |
|---|---|
| Principal Areas of Work: | Conservation engineering, Structural engineering, Civil engineering, Historic building assessment, Listed building repair design, Existing building refurbishment, Historic building adaptation, Feasibility studies, Forensic engineering, Expert witness services |
| Capabilities and Specialisms: | Structural and fabric appraisals, Conservation repair assessment, Engineering for listed buildings and scheduled monuments, Structural advice for building reuse, Refurbishment and extension design, Historic theatre and museum projects, Cemetery structures and boundary walls, Flood-risk assessment, Sustainable drainage design |
| Accreditations, Certifications & Memberships : | CARE-registered engineers within the practice, Building Limes Forum corporate membership, Timber Development UK membership |
| Accreditation & Membership Details: | The ICE CARE register published in October 2026 lists Kevin Clark CEng MICE, Robert Frostick CEng MIStructE and Terence Girdler CEng FICE MIStructE against Conisbee. Conisbee is listed as a corporate member of the Building Limes Forum. Timber Development UK lists the practice under Alan Conisbee Associates, with a membership renewal date of 31 December 2026. |
| Geographical Areas Covered: | London, East Anglia, Cambridge, Norwich, Colchester, wider UK projects by agreement |
| Contact & Online Presence | |
| Email: | design@conisbee.co.uk |
| Business Details & Insurance. | |
| Company Trading Name: | Conisbee |
| Company Number: | 03958459 |
