Early in 2009, a proposal to redevelop the Social Centre was put to a parish forum. It was agreed that the parish should be consulted by means of a survey to ascertain the level of support for such a project. The process was guided by a "Scoping Team" of five parishioners and Fr Bryan. The survey was carried out during May and June with results being reported at a forum in October to which 120 people attended. It was decided to investigate possible schemes with advice from an architect, this process being termed the consultation stage.
A "Specification Team" was selected from parishioners who volunteered to help at the October forum. The team included project managers, a building development specialist, building surveyors, and an architectural planner, as well as non-technical parishioners.
At the same time a "Project Finance Team" was assembled from other parishioners who volunteered to help because of their specialist knowledge. The objective of this team was to enable the parish to take a view of what cost of project it would be proper for the community to accept and to answer any questions the parish may have on the finance aspects of such a project.
The Specification Team met monthly and organised extensive consultations with parish groups. Each group was interviewed with at least two members of the team being present. This process gave rise to a comprehensive set of needs as perceived by the groups. From this an architectural brief was drawn up.
Four architectural practices with experience in ecclesiastical building designwere invited for interview. They had been asked to prepare a preliminary response to the brief and submit a quotation for creating examplar designs. Following a day of interviews carried out by three parishioners involved in the process, the firm of Grayston Alan Durtnell, based in Sevenoaks, was appointed.
Under the direction of managing partner Michael Mamalis, three schemes were brought to concept design stage in conjunction with the Specification Team. These were described broadly as: "Refurbish", "Modify" and "Rebuild", giving the parish a range of possible designs and costs to consider. In September, Michael Mamalis presented his proposals at a meeting in church, and an exhibition of the plans and visualisations showing the schemes was mounted at the back of the church. The likely costs and how these could be met were described by the Project Finance Team. The meeting is fully reported here, including links to the presentations and exhibition.
The modify and rebuild designs addressed all the suggestions made in the group interviews, namely: flexibility for meetings, direct link between church and Social Centre, unified entrance providing a gathering area to give independent access to all spaces, comprehensive storage, independent pre-school facilities, views and access to parish garden, redesigned kitchen and toilets, integration of parish office within Centre, better heating and use of natural lighting and renewable energy, IT and AV facilities, and improved parking and pedestrian access.
Parishioners were invited to look at the exhibition over the following four weeks and submit their preferences by means of a final survey. This process was known as the "Discernment stage" which was completed in February 2011 when the results of the survey and hence the parish decision was determined.
Whilst the architect's schemes were visionary and promised long term benefits, the parish did not feel able to adopt any of them on the grounds of cost and possible disruption to the life of the community. As a result, Fr Bryan decided to adopt an incremental plan of development and repair to the existing building, assisted by a small team of advisors.
Consideration of a Major Development
The process followed from January 2009 to February 2011
St James The Great, Petts Wood
Buildings Development 2012