New designs for Mudeford’s All Saints Church restoration aimed at making it more accessible

A MODERN new entrance for a fire-hit church, which was criticised by the town council, was designed to make the building more accessible.

Mudeford’s All Saints Church was almost destroyed during a blaze in July 2022 which is believed to have been due to an electrical fault.

But a lobby planned for the replacement building was “not in keeping” with the church, Christchurch Town Council said, and recommended it be “aligned” more with the church’s architectural style.

Architect firm Acanthus Clews, of Banbury, has been working on the rebuild which is designed to look as it did when it was built in 1869.

Sally Clifford, head of the steering group for the church, said plans for the restoration had been drawn up after it “tried to listen to all members of the community and take into consideration the many changes to the mandatory requirements for building regulations to produce a design that encompasses inclusivity, diversity, consultation and respect”.

She said the committee has been “working very hard” with the architects, which has been in the planning for two years.”

The new design will ensure access for everyone, Ms Clifford said, pointing out the previous entrance had several steps. She said that the committee had also wanted features which will encourage more use for the whole community, “not just church members”.

Ms Clifford added that members had tried to address objections made to the application: “A great deal of effort has gone into public consultation events and visiting our near neighbours to get their views. Indeed, we changed the design several times to try and address comments that were made.”

She said that there had been a large number of letters in support of the proposed building – and the fact the church will be rebuilt instead of the site sold for flats which would be, she added, “a greater loss of amenity, more overlooking and huge parking issues for prospective residents”.

Councillors also felt the rebuild should “ensure” the Victorian stained glass on the west elevation “remain visible”.

At their planning meeting earlier this month members endorsed concerns by the Victorian Society over the obscuring of the west elevation of the building its stained glass window.

But Ms Clifford said a new west window had been designed by a local artist so that there would be “no obscuration or loss of light”.