Building Progress Report - October 2008

A - INTRODUCTION

Since my last report for September, the process of approving the latest scheme prepared by the architect, Derek Kemp, has continued.

B - PROGRESS

1 We received the report of the visit by members of the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC), including our Archdeacon Danny Kajumba, to St John’s in August.  The report was factual, but supported our impression given during their visit that they liked the proposed scheme and the reasons for it.

2 A User Group has been set up to assess the functionality of the proposed plans and a meeting arranged for 14^thOctober.

3 A public exhibition has been planned for Saturday 15^thNovember from 10 to 12 noon in the church hall, and the architect Derek Kemp has agreed to attend.

C - FORECAST

October - User group reports to PCC

November - Public exhibition

November - Next PCC meeting

John Grainger (Chair CCPT) 12 Oct 08

July-August 2008 report

A - INTRODUCTION

SINCE my last report for May - June, the PCC decided that the latest scheme prepared by the architect, Derek Kemp, should be developed in sufficient detail so that the process of approval by members of St John’s, the Parish, the DAC (Diocesan Advisory Committee) and Tandridge District Council could commence.

B - PROGRESS

1 The Quantity Surveyor (Martyn Tickner) submitted his cost estimate for construction based on completing the project in four separate phases

2 A cost report (ie the building costs plus professional fees and other expenses and contingencies) was presented to the PCC at their meeting on 15^thJuly.  This demonstrated that the cost for Phase 1 (extending north of the church) was approximately £½m.

3 The PCC approved the proposal that the architect should develop the outline design in three stages

Informal approach to Local Planning Authority and DAC

Public exhibition

Formal planning application

4 A meeting with representatives of the DAC was arranged for 19^thAugust

5 A Statement of Need (required by the DAC) was drafted

C - FORECAST

September - PCC review feedback from the visit by the DAC and plan the next stages

John Grainger (Chair CCPT)

May 2008 report

A - INTRODUCTION
SINCE THE architect's first visit in February 2007 to conduct interviews with church members he has submitted an Option Study with four sketch plans, a revised (reduced cost) scheme with three sketch plans, and then a modified scheme (the eighth sketch plan) combining various aspects of the previous versions. The objective was to find the optimum solution to our needs that would form the basis for obtaining a preliminary cost.
The fee for a quantity surveyor to price a scheme is around £1,000, so it was important for us to have a viable plan to work to. This does not mean that the plan is fixed, only that the Church Centre Project Team and the PCC believe that the scheme does satisfy our needs and therefore this is the appropriate time to obtain a clearer understanding of the costs involved. The church itself remains unchanged.
Our needs were identified as (1) improving our hall facilities with better kitchen, toilets, storage and easier access & circulation, (2) enlarging our hall spaces to improve flexibility for teaching and social functions and to provide a facility for the community in and around Felbridge to use.

B - THE SCHEME
The scheme has a larger kitchen and toilets, additional storage, a main access at road level from The Glebe and an internal platform lift that replaces the steps from the Old Vestry to the hall. The scheme adds three new spaces - two rooms for teaching/meeting etc, and a social 'lounge' with facilities for making light refreshments, and a separate toilet. During the week this arrangement provides the main hall, an office, two meeting rooms and the social 'lounge'. For Sunday morning services, the office could be used as the crèche, the hall and two rooms used for the three youth groups, and the social 'lounge' for refreshments afterwards.
C - PROGRESS
1 Derek Kemp completed the revised sketch plan
2 The PCC agreed that the plan should be used to obtain a preliminary cost estimate
3 The architect instructed a Quantity Surveyor (Martyn Tickner) to produce the cost estimate
4 Martyn visited St John's and is preparing his cost estimate
D - FORECAST
June - QS submits cost report.
July - PCC review costs.
John Grainger (Chair CCPT)

April 2008 report

In March's report I summarised the report by the Church Centre Project Team (CCPT) to the PCC, and the PCC's response.
A - PROGRESS
Derek Kemp is continuing to work on the revised sketch plan.
B - FORECAST
April - Architect produces an approved sketch plan and an elevation.
April - CCPT report to PCC
May - QS submits cost report.
May - CCPT review costs and submit report to PCC.
John Grainger (Chair CCPT )

March 2008 report

IN FEBRUARY’S report I summarised the three options proposed by the architect for us to consider.

Progress

The Church Centre Project team (CCPT) held preliminary meetings to discuss the options, and agreed that there should be:

• ¨ At least a two phased construction (retaining the existing hall and two rooms in Phase one.)
• ¨ A ‘good standard’ of connection between the new build in Phase 1 and the existing structure.
• ¨ The existing ‘Old Vestry’ could be used as the new Vestry.
• ¨ An office ‘cupboard’ could be created within one of the new rooms.
• ¨ A minimum of two new rooms in Phase one.
• ¨ Provision for an access to rooms on the first floor (in a future phase).
• Outstanding issues to be resolved are:
• ¨ Location of main entrance.
• ¨ Visual impact of main entrance.
• ¨ Access for disabled.
• ¨ Floor level of new hall area.

Further information will be available in next month

John Grainger (Chair CCPT)

FEB 2008 report

In last November’s report I outlined the programme for the architect to produce further options for a new hall. Unfortunately there was a delay in the production of the site survey drawings due to the death of a key family member in the land survey firm.

Progress

The land surveyor completed the site survey in November.

The architect received the survey plans on 17^thDecember.

The architect presented his ‘Reduced Scheme’ options to the PCC on 15th January.

Architect’s ‘Reduced Scheme’ Options

These three options were prepared as a result of a discussion with the Architect (outlined in my October report) and the site survey. All three options involve

Leaving the church as it is now

Keeping the hall at the existing level

Improving access for disabled persons including a drop-off lay-by in The Glebe and a footpath from the car park

Providing a ‘cloister’, linking the hall to the north porch

At least a two phase construction for the hall

Phase 1 the kitchen, hall entrance, store cupboard and toilets are rebuilt and enlarged

Phase 2 the remainder of the hall is upgraded with new roof and wall cladding

Estimated costs for Phase 1 range from £550,000 to £700,000

Forecast

The CCPT will review the further options and report to the PCC on 26^thFebruary

Public exhibition likely to be held in Spring 2008

Worth thinking about?

Some of you may have received the Winter 07/Spring 08 news letter ‘Between Friends’ from the African Children’s Choir (ACC). It has an outline of a new ACC Academy for 200 pupils to be built near Entebbe, Uganda. The plan shows buildings include an assembly hall, choir training hall, dining hall, administration centre, class rooms, dormitories, nursery school and staff housing. The cost? Less than our Phase 1!

John Grainger (Chair CCPT)

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Progress Report - November 2007

LAST MONTH I wrote about the process for the architect to produce further options as a result of our initial response to his first four options, described in the September edition of Parish News. The sequence of events was as follows:
Appoint land surveyor to produce accurate drawings of existing buildings
Architect to submit new proposals for review by the Church Centre Project Team (CCPT)
CCPT to report to the PCC on 20th November
PCC to review the options
Public exhibition of the options sometime in January/February 2008
Progress
The standing committee met on 28th October, and approved the appointment of the land surveyor recommended by the architect.
The architect will send his further options to the CCPT in December (the delay is due to the work load of the land surveyor).
The CCPT will report to the PCC on 15th January
Public exhibition likely to be held in February 2008
Meanwhile, if you have any queries or concerns, please speak to a member of the CCPT (Stephen Bowen, Chris Bowes, Andy Brown, Peter Burton, Malcolm Francis, John Grainger, Ann Morley, Steve Partridge, Philip Tadman) or a member of the PCC.
John Grainger (Chair CCPT

Progress Report - September 2007

AT THE END of September a number of crèche leaders and helpers met with me in church to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various proposals for the location of the new crèche room.

In early October four members of the Church Centre Project Team (CCPT) visited the architect at his office in Eastbourne and put forward a number of ideas including:

1. Phased construction (to enable an earlier start on the project).
2. A single main entrance from The Glebe
3. Different locations for the crèche room outside the church
4. Better use of the ‘choir’ area
5. A social space outside the north wall of the church

The architect, Derek Kemp, welcomed these ideas as he had anticipated we would respond to his initial proposals with further suggestions to explore. He agreed to draw up some more options for us to consider at no additional cost (apart from expenses) as the cost of this work was included in his initial fee.

In addition, at our request, he agreed to obtain quotes for a full survey of the existing buildings to enable a scheme design to be prepared.

At the PCC meeting later in the month the following process was agreed:

1. Derek Kemp would send his further options to the CCPT in early November.
2. The CCPT would report to the PCC meeting on 20th November.
3. The PCC would decide when to hold a public exhibition of the options.

Further details will follow, but in the meantime, if you have any queries or concerns, please speak to a member of the CCPT (Stephen Bowen, Chris Bowes, Andy Brown, Peter Burton, Malcolm Francis, John Grainger, Ann Morley, Steve Partridge, Philip Tadman) or a member of the PCC. John Grainger (Chair CCPT)

Progress Report - July 2007

This is the first Project report since Margaret Malcolm's article in the February Parish News. Margaret described the background to the appointment by the PCC of an architectural practice - Church Projects Limited (CPL) - to prepare an Option Study for our new Church Centre.
A lot has happened since then, and this report is a summary of progress and the options proposed by CPL in their Option Study.

Progress

In February and March, Derek Kemp (director of CPL) visited St John's and interviewed 87 people to ascertain their views about the life of St John's and the project to rebuild the hall with additional rooms to provide a Church Centre facility.
In May:

• CPL issued a draft Brief for comment and/or changes.
• The PCC established a new Church Centre Project Team (CCPT).
• The CCPT returned the draft Brief to CPL with their recommendations. The Brief excluded any reference to turning the church seating round.
• In June, CPL completed the Option Study which comprises 210 pages plus 10 pages of photographs and includes plans of four options for consideration.

In July:

• Derek Kemp gave a presentation of his Option Study to an expanded PCC meeting
• During the next PCC meeting (1) the Study was reviewed and a brainstorming session held to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each option; (2) each section of the Study was allocated to a small group for more detailed examination.

In early August, the CCPT met to begin the process of reviewing the four options and developing our own suggestions for further study by the architect. This review included:

• Combining a number of individual features from CPL's four options
• Reducing the overall scale of development in order to reduce costs
• Examining ways to phase the construction
• Considering the visual impact from the A22
• Assessing pedestrian access from The Glebe and car park

CPL's Four Options

The features common to all four options are:
The church seating remains unchanged, with minor adjustments as noted below
A two storey building extending east to the car park wall and north to the boundary wall with The Glebe, but with a flat roof area to allow daylight to reach the east window
A lower floor level at the same level as the nave
Two entrances, one at nave level from The Glebe, the other from the car park level (with a lift serving ground and first floor levels)
A hall of similar size to the existing, with at least four other rooms
A circulation/social space, large enough for refreshments after services, but separate from the hall
Separate, larger toilets for men, women and disabled
A large kitchen (about three times the area of the existing)
A total floor area at least double the existing space we have
A high cost!

Option 1 - has the hall facing east plus five rooms (eg vestry, office, crèche and two others)
Option 2 - has the hall facing south plus seven rooms (eg vestry, office, crèche and four others)
Option 3 - has the crèche at the centre west end of the church behind a triple glazed wall, the hall facing south plus four rooms (eg vestry, office and two others)
Option 4 - similar to Option 3, but the crèche is at the north-west end of church, and a "cloister" is built adjoining the north aisle and side chapel, linking the north porch directly with the hall and enabling extra church seating to be used in the side chapel area
Further details will follow, but in the meantime, if you have any queries or concerns, please speak to a member of the CCPT (Stephen Bowen, Chris Bowes, Andy Brown, Peter Burton, Malcolm Francis, John Grainger, Ann Morley, Steve Partridge, Philip Tadman) or a member of the PCC.
John Grainger (Chair CCPT)