Parliament Buildings, Stormont Estate — Grade A Listed, Portland Stone Restoration

Parliament Buildings at the Stormont Estate is one of Northern Ireland's most iconic and symbolically significant buildings — a Grade A listed Portland Stone neoclassical palace opened in 1932 and now the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The building's magnificent façade, with its grand colonnaded portico, extensive steps, and sweeping approaches, stands as a defining image of the Northern Ireland landscape.

Clarke Restoration were appointed as restoration contractor to carry out specialist works to the main front sections and steps of Parliament Buildings, working closely with the Historic Environment Division (HED) and the client architect to ensure that the most appropriate cleaning process and conservation works were specified and executed.

The programme began with a detailed survey of the building façade to assess the condition of the Portland Stone, identify defects and deterioration, and establish a baseline for the works. Extensive and sensitive stone cleaning was then carried out across the whole building, followed by lime mortar repointing to open joints and areas of mortar loss — matched in composition and finish to the original. Stone repairs were carried out where required. The project exemplifies Clarke Restoration's capacity to undertake major conservation programmes on nationally significant listed buildings to the highest standards of heritage practice.