Not practically. The old building was not as solid as it looked. Although the walls appear to be stonebuilt, they are actually a local facing stone called Kentish ragstone, over brick. The side walls had virtually no foundations so the stability of the building was not very good and alarming cracks existed around some of the upper windows and wall joints. Two incendiary bombs fell in Ledbury Road during the blitz, blowing in the windows and seriously damaging the west wall and roof. Combined with a roof at the end of its life and a poor interior structure for modern use, the cost of restoration of the original building would have run into millions, which the church simply did not have access to. The interior features were not of rarity or high quality. The original spires and railings were missing since the second world war, and the widening of the church in 1866 together with the loss of the spires had degraded the architectural proportions to a low squat appearance. After many years of rising maintenance bills, impossible winter heating costs yet still putting on overcoats for the sermon, and rain dripping through the roof into buckets, it became clear that a new step had to be taken to safeguard the facility for future generations.
MODERNISATION As well as remedying the major structural problems with the building, a complete redevelopment solves many problems with an older church, such as security, fire hazard, disabled access, and inflexibility of spaces. The new building will have level access from the street to the ground floor, with a lift for first floor access. Full provision for disabilities have been made, with the aim of winning a gold star disability access award, including disabled toilet, shower, and hearing support systems in addition to level / lift access to all areas. Dedicated creche and children’s facilities with separate children’s toilets have been created.
Most importantly though, while the old building had a lot of pews, it didnt have a lot of space that could be used for small church and local community groups. The creation of a second hall and offices will allow far greater building use.
