Ross Sinclair celebrates 25 years with Potter Raper

A massive congratulations to Ross Sinclair, who is celebrating 25 incredible years with Potter Raper. Ross is an Associate Director and Senior Quantity Surveyor, working from our London office, and brings over 50 years of experience to the team. His career began in 1975 at Cathedral Works Organisation, and since then he has become a leading figure in building conservation.

Since joining Potter Raper in 2000, Ross has become a cornerstone of our heritage sector, contributing his expertise as an RICS Accredited Conservation Surveyor and as an RICS Historic Building Professional. His knowledge has been shaped not just by hands-on experience, but also by his Postgraduate Diploma in Conservation, sponsored by the Crown Estate.

Ross was an RICS Awards Conservation Judge for 29 years and chaired the RICS Awards London Regions.
He also served as the Divisional Chair East Sussex for the Historic Churches Trust.
His contributions to building conservation earned him a Fellowship of the RICS.
Over his career, Ross has been involved in 29 award-winning projects — a testament to his skill, passion, and dedication to conservation.

Career Highlights

Across his career, Ross has worked on some of the UK’s most significant historic buildings. Highlights include:

Fulham Palace – a £13.6m restoration of England’s oldest freehold, restoring the botanical gardens. Conserving the Palace including forming a museum with shop, café, galleries and offices. Forming a community hub/education facilities within the historic stables.
The British Museum – conservation and restoration of this Grade I listed international museum and Britain’s number 1 tourist attraction, with over 7 million visitors a year. Ross joined the museum’s staff in 1980, rising to Principal Surveyor. He left in 1993 but was subsequently appointed on various term contracts until 2019. During this period, he worked on numerous significant and award-winning projects for them.
Cathedrals – Ross worked on major projects at Chichester, Bath & Well, St Paul’s, Salisbury, Worcester, and Liverpool Cathedrals. In addition to site works, he undertook in-depth conservation studies including stone cleaning, historic paint analysis, stained glass restoration, masonry conservation, and timber and ironwork consolidation.
National Trust – Ross was appointed to two districts of the National Trust, undertaking major works at Chastleton House, which received many awards including the RICS’s overall International Project of the Year. Other significant projects included Poleston Pacy, Hatchlands, Hughenden Manor, Uppark, Knoll Park, Standen House, and Clanden House.
Albert Memorial – this project was particularly interesting as it included extensive research before conservation and restoration commenced. It also won the RICS Overall International Project of the Year and was one of four of his projects opened by our late Queen Elizabeth II.
Cabinet War Rooms (now Churchill Rooms) – Ross was involved extensively from the first site inspection to assessing the state and likely budget requirements, through to completion.
Central London Museums and Art Galleries, the Palace of Westminster, significant country houses (Broome Park, Benham Park), and various churches including St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks, and All Souls, Langham Place. These projects received coverage in the press, television project specific programmes, and in published books.

These projects showcase Ross’s skill in balancing heritage sensitivity with modern requirements, and his work continues to influence how historic spaces are preserved and experienced today. His 25-year journey with Potter Raper reflects both dedication and excellence, and we are proud to celebrate the knowledge and inspiration he continues to share with colleagues and the wider industry.