Prittlewell Chapel

Although of significant local importance, the chapel had fallen into disrepair, having stood empty for nearly 60 years. Southend Borough Council recognising the architectural value of the Chapel contracted Beardwell Construction to regenerate the Chapel, blending traditional building techniques with modern sustainable construction techniques to return the building back to the local community.

What Did The Job Involve?

The structure of the building underwent a complete overhaul. Both roofs were completely renewed with bespoke timber scissor trusses and finished with new welsh slate; the stonework and tracery were lovingly refurbished or replaced and the existing bell tower was completely rebuilt to the same exacting detail.

The installation of photovoltaic cells, an air source heat pump, rainwater harvester, zoned regulated ventilation, a bio tank, high frequency and LED lighting, triple glazed curtain walling and a BMS monitoring system brings the building into the 21st Century with the building achieving an energy efficiency ‘A’ rating and annual energy costs not exceeding £200.

Let on a 20-year lease local school children and charity organisations regularly use the facility. The North Wing provides a meeting/training room and the South Wing having had ‘state of the art’ computer technology installed provides a modern office facility with interactive presentation boards. The Project was recognised for its success at both local and national level.

What Were The Challenges?

Working on a listed former ecclesiastical building in the centre of Southend presented unique challenges and required daily liaison with heritage officers to ensure the works were completed to their exacting standards.

Working within the confines of a century old cemetery required careful advanced planning to ensure works were undertaken with care and respect.

Our commercial team worked in a true partnering spirit with the client to manage the spend, bringing the project in on budget – a rare event for a project of this nature.

Restricted delivery timescales and a single limited shared access presented logistical challenges. There were no existing building records available which demanded a truly collaborative approach by all the stakeholders to ensure the building was reinstated aesthetically to its original design whilst sympathetically bringing it up to modern standards.

 

Beardwell’s Added Value

Local resident meetings kept neighbours well informed and were a key factor to ensuring the smooth running of the project. The project was considered a complete success named by the Client as a ‘Beacon Project’ and is now back in the hands of the local community.

Beyond our contractual commitment we provided additional maintenance works within the cemetery grounds including regular grass cutting, rubbish clearance and repairs.