An award-winning architectural practice is playing a key role in the redevelopment of a 160-year-old church to provide a range of services to the local community.
Gradon Architecture is leading a project to carry out alterations to Lemington Methodist Church in west Newcastle. The aim is to improve accessibility for the congregation and support key community functions such as food and clothing bank distribution.
Phase one of the project is due to commence in January and will include alterations to the front entrance to create level access, the installation of a new staircase and the creation of dedicated food bank facilities. It’s part of a wider scheme to further enhance access into and throughout the building, facilitating improved delivery of community outreach – a move that will benefit the wider community.
After a tendering process, Chris Hunter Construction was appointed to carry out the work, which is scheduled to be completed by March 2025.
The renovation is the latest milestone in a long-standing relationship between the northeast Methodist Circuits and Gradon Architecture. In recent years Gradon has conducted quinquennial inspections on many churches in the local area, including those in Newcastle, North Shields, Whitley Bay, Northumberland, Durham, and Sunderland. As a result of this partnership, Trustees of Newcastle upon Tyne Methodist Circuit asked Gradon to conduct a feasibility study to identify and solve various accessibility issues to make it easier for visitors to enter and navigate the building, as well as facilitate the transportation of goods to and from the venue.
Kayleigh Metcalf, architectural project lead, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Lemington Methodist Church on a project that will have a positive impact on the local community. Methodist churches can access funding to appoint architects like us to conduct feasibility studies. These studies explore ways to improve church buildings, which could generate extra income by converting unused spaces into apartments or creating community halls to support local initiatives.
“We’re delighted to have Chris Hunter as the contractor for this scheme. It’s exciting that this project is a local job, designed and undertaken by local businesses for the benefit of local people.”
The £200,000 scheme was part-funded by £125,000 from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund and additional contributions from the Newcastle West Circuit of Methodist Churches – a group of churches that works together to share resources and support each other.
Reverand Tim Woolley at Lemington Methodist Church said: “Our church is so much more than a place of worship; it’s a focal point for a wide range of activities that help to foster a tremendous community spirit. We’re very grateful to GRADON and Chris Hunter for helping us with these renovations as this will really help to make the church more accessible for a wider pool of people.”
The Lemington scheme adds to Gradon’s growing portfolio of projects, which includes schemes in Mongolia, Jordan and Turkmenistan. Established 15 years ago by husband-and-wife team, Graham and Donna McDarby, the company is an award-winning practice of architects that has worked on a variety of projects throughout the UK and across the globe. Its team of staff is made up of architects and architectural technologists located in studios in the North East of England, as well as in strategic project locations throughout the UK and across the world. The company has a strong track record in the industry and is currently involved in several exciting projects, which include student residential, retail, church conversions, commercial, industrial and strategic mixed-use master-planning projects.