UPPER CUMBER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The brief initially for this project was to erect a new church building adjacent to the existing halls.  This was due to the fact that the existing stand-alone, Grade B2, listed church building which housed the congregation, had been the subject of various detailed structural reports, all of which indicated that due to the advanced nature of both structural and waterproofing defects, demolition was felt to be the only viable option.

However, after lengthy discussions with NIEA, the verdict was that even though severely deteriorated, the demolition of the existing church building was not permissible, due to its listed status.

Through great determination and ingenuity, with work largely carried out by qualified workmen from within the congregation itself, the existing church building was fully restored, and a modest, new-build annex constructed alongside to provide a more welcoming, DDA-compliant entrance foyer, Minister’s room, meeting room, toilets etc., all under the direction of Architects Knox and Markwell.