Christ Church Laxey Planning Statement

Planning Statement

Reordering And New Porch

CHRIST CHURCH, LAXEY

Christ Church, Laxey is a registered building and is situated in a prominent location near to the Manx Electric Railway Station although the elevation from this aspect (north) is considered to be the rear elevation.

The proposal is to re-order the inside of the church, carrying out minor alterations to the furniture providing an additional altar, yet leaving the existing altar within the sanctuary unchanged. The chancel area where the organ and new altar will be is to be raised in height by one step, therefore bringing the step forward into the nave, making this area safer to use. Within this area, the decorative choir pew is to be removed and relocated to the west end allowing greater space to be achieved. Nave pews are to remain except for the two forward-most (east end) pews, which will be removed and those to the west end are also to be removed to make an open space. The font will be relocated. The single porch door into the nave, which was made in 1947, is to be replaced with a pair of fully glazed doors with Ecclesiastical etching of a design to be approved at a later date.

Externally, the existing porch is to be carefully demolished and existing features, stone dressings and the doors are to be set aside for later re-use and incorporated into the new porch. A new porch is to be constructed of a very similar design to the existing porch, but larger and all limestone dressings including quoins, arches, plinth dressings, parapets etc., are to be re-used within the new building. New limestone dressings are to be locally manufactured and incorporated into the two new windows and additional limestone verges, parapets and plinths manufactured to make up short falls due to increased size of porch.

The new porch will provide a disabled toilet and cupboard, which can be used for choir gowns and other church necessities. Externally, a disabled ramp is to be provided. Consideration in designing this scheme has been given to other options, all of which have been dismissed.

1. A rear extension near to the existing oil tank and vestry has been considered, but it would not be suitable to locate a toilet in this area since access would have to be through either the vestry or chancel area. Furthermore, any extension on this north elevation would be more visual. It is unacceptable for a disabled person to use the ‘back door’.

1. Any extension to the south elevation with the exception of the present proposal again would create an unacceptable access from the chancel or sanctuary into the toilet.

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1. Consideration has been considered to leave the existing porch as it is, but form a catslide roof on the east side, but given the relatively low height of the existing eaves and the pitch required, the resultant space available would be most unsatisfactory. Furthermore, a nave window would be lost.

1. Design work has been carried out retaining the façade of the present porch, removing the side walls and constructing a new larger porch making a feature of a protruding front elevation. Unfortunately with such a scheme the space created internally (making allowance for the space occupied by the retained wall) would result in a disabled toilet falling below the standard expected from such a facility.

1. Finally, considerable design work was carried out to provide space within the west end of the church for a disabled toilet, which included a steel frame, staircase leading to an upper floor, but this was felt to be a massive intrusion upon the inside of the church and this scheme was also dismissed.

The decision to carry out the proposed alterations has not been taken lightly but there is now a need to provide safe and modern facilities for worshipers and visitors to the church but also providing an area for parish meetings and social activities.

The church has services twice on a Sunday and one on a Wednesday and there is something in the order of 6-7 weddings a year and 6-7 funerals per year and there are also frequent visitors to the church, particularly in the summer months.

There is no toilet reasonably close to the church and this is unacceptable given many of the congregation are elderly and also children attend the services. The only access into the church for the congregation is through the south porch where there are three steep steps and the new entrance will provide not only a disabled ramp but four shallower steps.

Internally, where the pews have been removed, the space created will allow for parish meetings, presently undertaken at the Laxey Glen Pavilion to be within the church and bible study groups can also be catered for. After the service the open space will become a social area whereby families can gather to chat.

Another important function of the open area will allow disabled people in wheelchairs to be catered for more adequately and also affording space for children in push chairs.

Finally the unattractive curtains and screens at the west end would be removed since these areas are presently used as stores and hanging gowns and the new cupboard in the porch will allow these materials to be stored out of sight.

In conclusion the scheme now sought approval for has been carefully considered, all other options considered and dismissed and the resultant scheme provides the necessary requirements for disabled facilities within a place of worship. A re-ordering scheme which allows the church to be used more frequently rather than having meeting elsewhere all of which will allow this place of worship to be once again at the heart of the community.