Lookback at 2017

DEVELOPMENT

developments Summer 2017

Read about the overall Development Project

Read on for an update from Sam Wiggs, Chairman of the Development Committee.

The Salisbury Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) has now given advice recommending almost all the work of our initial plans. This means that we can apply for a faculty for the WC and boiler house extension, moving and renovating a south window to allow for the extension, repositioning the choir stalls (which is necessary to give access to the extension and to allow room for some more radiators), the extra radiators and the reinstatement of the Lady Chapel ceiling.

However, the figures we have been given by the quantity surveyor instructed by our architect mean that we cannot afford the extension at present. We have had some generous gifts during our fund raising campaign but the total available falls a long way short of projected building costs.

Despite this the development committee decided to ask the Parochial Church Council (PCC) to vote in favour of applying for a faculty for all the work set out in the DAC advice including the extension. The PCC voted unanimously in favour of applying for four separate faculties for the various parts of the work (but not yet for the extension). This is the simplest way of doing it. There will eventually be a fifth relating to the new altar.

Grant making bodies have all indicated that they will not consider applications unless we have the faculty(s). Although we are asking for authority to apply for a faculty allowing all the works we recognise that we cannot build an extension without having the money in place.

The South Window

The stained glass window has to be moved from the east to the west of the south door because the opening where it is at present needs to be partly blocked to allow for the roof line of the extension. Hank Bowen and his family have made a substantial gift to pay for this work, in memory of Juliet. The plain window to the west of the door will be moved to the position to its east where the stained glass window is currently located. We propose that this work should be done now so that when the extension is built the windows will be ready for it.

It is sensible to move the two windows now but not yet block up part of that to the east of the south door. This would save the cost of some stonework and would mean that we do not lose some light until that is essential. Nevertheless we should apply for the faculty do the complete job.

Heating

We have been advised by our heating engineer that we should add to the radiators but using the existing boiler. There are two advantages, apart from the obvious one of cost.

First, our old cast iron boiler can cope with the inevitable sludge in the existing pipes. If we have a new boiler it is likely to be damaged by that sludge unless we put a heat exchanger between the boiler and the radiators. There is insufficient room in the current boiler house for a heat exchanger.

Second, new condensing boilers have a life of about ten years. By the time we can build the extension it is likely that we would be well into that ten year period and we might be advised to replace the boiler yet again.

We have also been advised that if the existing boiler really doesn’t heat the additional radiators sufficiently a new boiler could be installed between two weekends.

Radiators

The main change to radiators is that additional, box section but finned radiators will be added below the pews and running along the north and south walls. Click here to view proposed plan

Choir stalls

It will be necessary to remove the choir stalls to get at the pipe work for the additional radiators. It will then be possible to add radiators behind the stalls before they are put back. We also plan to replace the unsightly chip board floor under the choir stalls with wood to match that under the other pews. It also seems sensible at the same time to make the modifications to the choir stalls which are part of the DAC advice. It includes adjustment of the choir platform to make the south door accessible. This should encourage people to help provide funds for the extension to which that door will give access. Click here to view proposed plan

We are satisfied that there will be ample room for the existing choir as well as visiting singers. There would also be room for some singers to sit on chairs if there was a very large choir.

Planning permission for the extension

 Planning permission is granted for three years, and ours expires at the beginning of September. We have been advised by Wiltshire Council that although it cannot be extended there should be no difficulty in it being granted again.

Lady Chapel Ceiling

 The reinstatement of the ceiling is part of the work dealt with in the DAC advice. Quite apart from aesthetics it is very cold in that corner (as clergy and band will readily confirm!) There is a possibility of grants for this work which means that it can’t actually be done until any grant application is determined.

The DAC advice recommends the moving of the stone altar to the Lady Chapel. It was not able to recommend the design of a new nave altar as we are not yet quite in a position to submit it. It is likely that members of the DAC will want to visit the church to see the model of the proposed altar which Matthew Burt has made, on site.

We hope that money in the existing altar fund will pay for the removal and relocation of the stone altar. The new altar is being given privately.

 

Parish Council Allocation

A couple of years ago Tisbury Parish Council (TPC) allocated us a grant of £80.000. However we were told that we had to spend that money by mid October this year. As we have been unable to do this to date, TPC has now been allocated to other schemes not related to the church. We have however been told that the Parish Council will soon have other funds which could be allocated to us, with a longer time limit.

 

PCC Resolution

On 12th June the PCC unanimously approved the following resolution.

The Parochial Church Council of the St John the Baptist Tisbury approves the application for a series of faculties to allow work set out in the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) Notification of Advice dated 17th May 2017. That work is:

  1. The relocation of a stained glass window.
  2. Alterations to choir seating area to allow the south door to be re-opened.
  3. Reinstatement of a ceiling to the Lady Chapel.
  4. Installation of additional radiators, with temporary removal of pews as necessary to allow this work.

 The PCC also noted that the application for a faculty for an extension to the south side of the church (to include lavatories and boiler house) would be made at a later date.

 If you would like any further information do please write to us through our Contact us page or email nadderteam@gmail.com.

Picture by Nicole R from St John’s Primary School; winner of the Summer Fete painting competition.