**Document:** North Vestry Chapel Design Statement **Application:** 13/00970/CON — Registered Building Consent for internal alterations to provide a prayer room and installation of an Aumbry (RB no 204) **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2013-09-18 **Parish:** German **Document Type:** report / design_access_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/18470-german-st-germans-cathedral-derby-road-registered-building-consent/documents/1314941 --- # North Vestry Chapel Design Statement ## St German's Cathedral, Peel Proposed Alterations to the North Vestry to create a Chapel and install an Aumbry ### Design Statement #### Location The North Vestry is located behind the North Transept. It is accessed through the former kitchen area, now used as the flower arranger's room, and the door leading to the room is adjacent to the toilet. There is a second door leading through to the choir stalls. (See Floor Plan) #### Current Use The Vestry is currently used by visiting clergy for robing and the storage of robes. The space is also used for meetings and the teaching of children during the Sunday services. #### Proposed Use It is proposed that the Vestry be used as a daily chapel for private prayer and the weekday celebration of the Eucharist. Within the chapel it is proposed that an Aumbry and Aumbry Lamp are installed for securing the 'reserved sacrament'. (An Aumbry is a lockable safe) The Chapel will also be offered as a quiet space for visitors and regular users of the Cathedral. ![This image displays an architectural floor plan of a church interior, highlighting a proposed prayer room and aumbry installation in red.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159692.jpg) FLOOR PLAN ## Proposed Alterations ![An interior photograph showing a wall with wooden chevron paneling and a large archway, illuminated by a hanging light fixture.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159693.jpg) The alterations that will be necessary to facilitate this change of use will be as follows: 1. Removal of the wardrobe currently fixed to the partition that separates the Servery from the Vestry. This wardrobe is not an original feature of the building. Although there are no records of its installation it would appear to have been built in the 1980s. Any repairs that are necessary to the wall behind the wardrobe will be carried out to match the rest of the plastered wall The Vestry function for visiting clergy will be relocated to the Corrin Hall. Existing wardrobe in Vestry 2. Installation of a stud infill panel to the door leading off the corridor. No alterations are proposed to the opening. The doors are to be retained and re-hung within the existing opening. They will be brought forward by 14cm in order that they open inwards into the chapel with the space behind forming a cupboard. This new cupboard will be used for storing chapel supplies e.g. corporals and purificators. This will enable a cupboard to be created of 50 cm depth. (See Appendix 1) Existing door to corridor on north wall ![Interior photograph showing a stone arched doorway leading into a room with religious features, likely a prayer room.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159694.jpg) Appendix 1: Proposed alterations to door on north wall ![A technical line drawing showing the elevation of a pointed arch cupboard door with a scale bar and label 'Appendix 1'.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159695.jpg) 3. Removal of the Tongue and Groove wood panelling to the north and east walls. The walls to be plastered using a lime mortar mix of Moderately Hydraulic Lime (MHL 3.5) mixed at a 2:1 ratio, 1 part concreting sand, 1 part building sand to one part MHL 3.5 lime. Paint: The walls would then be painted using micro porous matt finish paint, from a conservation supplier, to match the colour of the rest of the Cathedral. Existing wall panelling on north and east walls ![A photograph of an interior room with wood paneling, featuring a grey lectern and construction materials on the floor.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159696.jpg) 4. The installation of an Aumbry and Lamp in the east wall beneath the window at a height of approximately 1400mm. The safe will be set in the wall and be flush with the surface. The dimensions and detailing of the Aumbry and Lamp are shown below. The installation of both are shown at Appendix 2 Existing east wall panelling and window ![Interior photograph of a room featuring a large arched window with leaded glass and wooden paneling.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159697.jpg) Appendix 2 East end wall of chapel Room furnishings pending re-ordering: - Altar in the style of Servery Table - Chairs matching those in the servery EAST WALL OF QUIET REFLECTIVE SPACE Appendix 2: Proposed alterations to install an Aumbry and lamp on east wall ![drawing from page 8](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159698.jpg) - Proposed Aumbry Gold Hammer Finish Safe cost £890 ProductCode: 4309 Gold hammer painted safe with satin brass door plate detailed with cross relief. Size: 12" high x 10" wide x 9" deep. Reference: http://www.hayesfinch.com/File/GOLD_HAMMER_FINISH_SAFE__CROSS_.asp?cat=90 - Proposed Aumbry Lamp Illustration Classic wall light Cost £430. Reference http://www.kevinmayhew.com/church-supplies/bronze-brass/aumbry-sanctuary-wall-lights/classic-wall-light-electric.html ### Rationale The preferred design solution for this proposal has been arrived at using the following rationale: - A small chapel within an enclosed space will enable daily worship in a space that can be heated efficiently. - The space needs to be sealed off from the corridor so that the use of the chapel is not interrupted by people using the toilet facility and the flower room. The additional benefit will be the draught proofing of the room to minimise heat loss to the corridor. Access to the chapel will be through the existing entrance adjacent to the choir stalls. - The configuration of the existing space does not match the detailing of the stone construction, suggesting that it is in itself an early alteration. If this is deemed to be the case then the installation of the wood panelling is also an alteration that seems to have been installed in 2 phases. The lower half, fixed behind the central heating pipes, being older than the top half which does not match the timber sections of the lower half. To remove the panelling and replaster the walls could be considered as a significant improvement and simplification of the treatment of the walls. - The installation of an Aumbry will enable priests, deacons and authorised lay people to take the sacrament of the Eucharist to the housebound. ![photograph from page 9](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159699.jpg) ![photograph from page 9](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/08/159700.jpg) Serving the gathered community of Peel and the wider Isle of Man. The Parish of the West Coast Skeerey yn Clyst-Marrey Heear Mr P Thornley Secretary to the Planning Committee Department of Infrastructure Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas, IM1 2SF Dear Mr Thornley RECEIVED ON 15 AUG 2013 DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE Re: Internal alterations to provide a prayer room and installation of an Aumbry, St German's Cathedral, Derby Road, Peel, IM5 1HH Thank you for your letter of the 26 July 2013. Please find enclosed the additional information, as requested by Mr Moore, in support of my applications for Planning and Registered Building Consent. I have included: 1. A statement detailing the extent of the works and the elements that will be affected. 2. Details from the supplier of the Aumbry and Lamp. I hope that this provides you with sufficient information to allow you to determine the application. If not please advise me at the earliest opportunity. Yours sincerely The Very Revd. Nigel Godfrey Dean of St German's Cathedral [Signature] [Printed Name] Council for Learning Outside the classroom --- *Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).* *Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/18470-german-st-germans-cathedral-derby-road-registered-building-consent/documents/1314941*