PROJECT Gateway blog - JUNE 2024
Spotlight on the technical
I’m Mike Pearce, a long time member of ChristChurch and currently one of the Church Wardens. I’ve been involved with the Gateway Project from its inception and I’m passionate about getting this project right to meet our needs now, and in the future. I am a civil engineer by profession and in my day job I deliver building and infrastructure projects. So my role on the team is to provide technical expertise of building specification through to electrical sockets!
Here’s what happened in June on Project Gateway...
Getting the technical specifications right:
Our team of design consultants have been working on a number of aspects of the building specification, including:
Structural engineering calculations to underpin the architect’s design, refining it where necessary.
Mechanical engineering design of the heating and air circulation / ventilation systems. This includes what the size and type of heating system will be to meet our needs all year round, as efficiently as possible, and reducing our environmental impact.
Lighting engineers are addressing the lighting throughout the building to ensure it uses efficient low energy light fittings. Plus they are looking at how to replace the Nave and Gallery lighting with systems that can be run more effectively, delivering stage lighting and using lights to enhance the architectural features on our building.
Electrical engineering to completely re-wire the entire church from top to bottom to ensure we meet all current regulations. The engineers have been looking at everything from the total load we expect to place on our system, and sizing it accordingly, through to our security system and down to what electrical sockets are needed where. Whilst it is not part of the Gateway Project remit to update the audio visual system in the Nave the electrical design will ensure cabling is put in place to upgrade it in future.
Fire consultants have completed a review of the building specification and set out the escape routes to inform the rest of the design.
Kitchen designs for both the main Café kitchen and the new Youth & Community Centre kitchen are being developed. It is exciting to see the new design for the bigger cafe kitchen take shape.
Interior finishes are being developed to define the look and feel of the finished building. The aim is to enhance and compliment the building’s architectural features with practical, hardwearing products for our busy church. This includes talking to acoustic experts about the impact of different finishes in the Nave.
Planning Progress
Our planning consultant has been working hard on our behalf and continues to work through the amendments needed to update our original planning permission from Woking Borough Council to reflect changes to the design that have been made. In parallel, Steve Roberts is working with the Diocese to finalise planning amendments with them.
JOIN US FOR MORE DETAIL
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Tuesday 9th July at 7:30 pm
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prayer & information evening
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JOIN US FOR MORE DETAIL ~ Tuesday 9th July at 7:30 pm ~ prayer & information evening ~
A prayer and information evening for EVERYONE so join us on Tuesday 9th July at 7:30pm for a chance to pore over the plans so far, hear about what’s happening next, and for when the building work begins.
Find out more
If you want more information about the project, or to find out how you can support it financially, take a look at our Gateway pages on ChristChurch’s website, or you can chat to any of the members of the team: Adrian Beavis (Vicar), Steve Roberts (Project Leader), Walter Coxon (Finance), Mike Pearce (Technical), Peter Wichmann (CCW building knowledge and expertise), Rachael Purvis (Project Coordinator). If you’d like to email us with a specific query you can do so at this email address: gateway@ccwoking.org.