TV’s Restoration Man star George Clarke, paid a special visit to the former King Edward VII Sanatorium to celebrate a landmark moment in the major restoration works.

Heralded as one of the finest hospital buildings of its time, the 1901 specialist tuberculosis sanatorium near Fernhurst, which includes grade II and grade II* listed buildings, is being restored by heritage property developer City and Country in a major scheme that will provide 162 apartments, duplexes and houses.

Some are now occupied and the most historic rooms in the sanatorium are being restored and converted into a communal areas for residents.

Mr Clarke led a special event to celebrate the restoration of the southern facade and ground floor historic rooms, together with completed flat conversions upstairs, and also the restoration of the gardens originally planted by the acclaimed horticulturalist Gertrude Jekyll.

“This is an enormous project,” he said. “I’m fascinated by it, because everyone said it was too big and too difficult, but City and Country’s in-house skills have made it a success.

“I first came her three years ago and there are probably another three years to go.

“The hospital dining hall with its original tiling and double-height windows, was in a pretty awful state, full of modern additions that blocked the windows.

“It now looks stunning and the attention to detail means the original bespoke light fittings were replicated from the single one that remained.

“The larger gardens laid out by Gertrude Jekyll were not in too bad a state – but the smaller Gertrude Jekyll courtyard gardens had been destroyed and are now restored.”

Restoration work continues in earnest within the sanatorium, and efforts over the coming months will be concentrated on the East and West wings of the building.

• For more details about the restoration go to www. cityandcountry.co.uk or call (01730) 817979.