We were delighted to hear today that Broxbourne Council have approved our planning application for our church redevelopment project! As previously described, our desire is to redevelop the church building on the High Road / Slipe Lane in Wormley to make it more attractive, accessible and fit for serving our community and our worship as a congregation.
On the outside, we plan to re-orientate the building so that the main entrance is via a porch facing the High Road, rather than a side door onto Slipe Lane. Along with new windows, this will help bring the building to life – although it is constantly being used, this activity is all tucked out of sight, which is a shame as we suspect it means many are unaware of what we have to offer. This will also be more accessible for those with mobility concerns. We also plan to remove the walls and railings, replacing them with low shrubbery and plants in order to make the from more welcoming, rather than the current boundary that says quite the opposite.
Moving the main entrance to the front of the church means we can redevelop the side access so that we can install new wheelchair accessible toilets, again with the purpose of making our building suitable for all. We also hope to install solar panels should funding allow, to make the building more environmentally friendly in conjunction with the plants around the boundaries.
Latest designs for the front and side of the church
Inside we are looking to increase our storage facilities to make the space more attractive and remove potential hazards such as stacks of chairs. We also intend to include a second meeting room meaning that the church has more flexibility in its use.
At the heart of the project will be a brand new kitchen, fit for the many functions we desire to build on such as our Drop-In lunch, the Foodbank and Toddler group. This will be bigger and fitted out to make it better suited to the demands and requirements of our community outreach and current legislation. We can’t wait!
It is our belief and prayer that these changes will help equip us to serve our local community better, and provide a better facility for those who wish to hire it. We now have to embark on a process of raising the required funds, but we are hopeful that we can do so in time to begin building work around this time next year (although we recognise the timetable is liable to constant change).
Keith Smith
Wow!