Town council discuss Mudeford All Saints Church rebuild scheme

Christchurch Town Council has shared its views on the rebuild project put forward for Mudeford All Saints.

As reported, the historic church became engulfed in flames on the evening of July 14, 2022, following an electrical issue in the building.

The blaze caused huge damage to the roof and interior, and has put the church out of use ever since.

A rebuild project, tabled by The PCC of All Saints Church, consists of a major program of restoration to the church remains, and two extensions.

Damaged caused to Mudeford All Saints (Image: Clews Architects)

A new west end porch entrance with ramps and a lift is proposed, as well as an extension to the rear to provide additional space for activities for worshippers and the wider community.

The plans were formally submitted to BCP Council in April, and are yet to be determined.

Christchurch Town Council’s planning and regulatory committee discussed the scheme during its meeting on Tuesday, June 18.

Members received a presentation which summarised the key differences between the church pre-fire and the new scheme.

They were also informed of responses from key statutory consultees, including Heritage and Conservation and Victorian Society, and given a summary of resident’s comments.

Proposed visuals for the rebuild (Image: Clews Architects)

Members noted that the majority of objections to the proposal came from the residents of Mude Gardens, primarily citing concerns over loss of amenity, overlooking and parking issues.

The minutes of the meeting read: “The committee acknowledged the significance of All-Saints Church for the community of Mudeford.

“However, members felt that the proposed entrance lobby area was out of character with the original building, and they expressed concern that this addition was obscuring the Victorian stained-glass window on the western elevation, which is considered one of the most prominent features of the pre-fire building.

Damaged caused to Mudeford All Saints (Image: Clews Architects)

“In this regard, members endorsed the comments made by the Victorian Society expressing concern about the obscuration of the west elevation of the building and thereby compromising its significance.”

It was resolved that Christchurch Town Council would support the proposal but raise a concern regarding the proposed entrance lobby.

The town council has recommended that the entrance lobby be ‘reconsidered to align more closely with the Church's architectural style’ and to ensure the visibility of the Victorian stained glass.