Condition Survey & Recommendations for Repair St. Patricks Church, Donegall Street STONE CONSERVATION SERVICES CONSARC DESIGN GROUP 27 September 2012

Condition Survey & Recommendations for Repair

St. Patrick’s Church, Donegall Street

STONE CONSERVATION SERVICESCONSARC DESIGN GROUP

27 September 2012

ST PATRICK’S CHURCH,

DONEGALL STREET

• The current church was built on the site of an older church (constructed in 1815) that became too small for the expanding congregation.

• The construction of the current church was to the design of Timothy Hevey & Mortimer Thompson and the building was completed 1877.

• It is listed Grade B by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

Damaged by fire in October of 1995Reopened in October 1997 following repairs to the roof, external elevations and reconstruction of the Reredos and tabernacle.


St. Patrick’s Church, Donegall Street, Belfast

SURVEYThe Condition Survey was carried out from a mobile hoist in March 2011.

The tower and external facades were scanned by 3D Laser Scanning .

The images were used to produce 2D CAD drawings of all elevations.

The tower and spire is 54 m high and contains a 2 ton bell that was cast by Thomas Sheridan of Dublin.

There was no internal access to the belfry and tower for inspection and maintenance.

STONEWORKThe church is constructed of coursed red rubble Dundonald Sandstone and Dungannon Sandstone (with Dunhouse Sandstone used as a replacement stone). Grey Armagh Limestone was used for the decorative columns as well as some detailing, while Portland Limestone was used for the sculpture of St. Patrick seen on the central tympanum.


Condition Survey

Masonry so decayed it is loose and falling off


Health & Safety Issues


Spalling Stonework

Stonework at and below the balcony levels of the tower in in particularly poor condition.


Decaying Stonework

Deterioration of render repairs and fractures through coping stones


Failing Masonry

Retreat of original stone

Significant retreat of arrises and stone faces

Loss of roll mould at string course

A major issue is the loss of stone faces and arrises to all elevations.


Major Decay of Stonework

Surface loss and significant loss of arrises a significant problem in buttresses


Deterioration of Stonework

The defects identified during the

survey were photographed and

marked up on stone by stone

drawings


Stonework Repairs - Overview


Stonework Survey – In Detail

Example of stone detail to be produced for Tender Docs – SD04

View of stonework to tower. Significant cement mortar repair and cutting back of original detail


Stonework Survey – Sample Tower Elevation

Summary of Defects

•Decay of the red Dundonald Sandstone to all

elevations;

•Loss of detail to Dungannon sandstone dressings;

•Failing render repairs to rubble stone & window tracery;

•Original carved detail lost or removed.

•Above the doorway to the front elevation the carved

detail has decayed significantly and in some cases

loose and detaching;

•Biological growth to high level stonework


Summary of Defects

Priority 1: Emergency Repairs: Defects that present a health & safety risk Priority 2: Essential Repairs: Replacement of deteriorated stone and failing render repairs with new natural stone to maintain a weathertight building and the structural stability of the existing structure. It is recommended that these repairs are carried out within 1-5 years. RISKS IF REPAIRS ARE NOT CARRIED OUTIf the stonework to the facades is not repaired there will be a significant increase in the deterioration of the fabric and the occurrence of Priority 1 works. This will lead to more incidences of masonry fall and the requirement for façade inspections to remove unstable stone and render and further netting.

With time the defects to the external fabric will also impact on the internal fabric of the church. Defects will allow water penetration through open joints and defective stone and damp ingress will increase and affect the internal fabric of the building.

Recommendations


Recommendations for Repair

Emergency Works – carried out this year

• Removal of loose material to front elevation

• Netting to front elevation

• Repairs to slate louvre

• Installation of ladder access

• Repairs to timber floors


Emergency Work

Extent of Works

The survey shows that the need for essential repairs to the external fabric of

the church is extensive and cost is significant.

Budget costs for all works to the church are in the region of £2 million

excluding VAT and Fees. Therefore we propose a phasing of works starting

with the tower.

Phase 1: Spire and Tower – all elevations

•Stone repairs and repointing;

•Replacement of severely deteriorated stonework at the two balcony levels;

•Replacement of projecting stone elements to decorative cornices above the

front entrance which are becoming loose and detaching;

•Cleaning and biocide treatment of stonework;

•Repairs to other slate louvres;

•Bird-proofing the tower;

•Upgrading of lightning protection to tower and spire

Phase 1: Four Elevations of the Tower


Phasing of Works

Phase 2: Lower façade of Front Elevation

The Phase 2 repair scheme would include:

•Replacement of severely deteriorated stonework

•Re-pointing

•Repairs to limestone tynpanum

•Cleaning and biocide treatment

•Replacement of inappropriate storm glazing

•Replacement of cement at ground level

•Repairs to steps

•Installation of new disabled ramp


Phasing of Works

Phase Description Time Scale Costs

Phase 14 elevations of the spire and tower (see DRAWING DF01)

8 Months £440,000

Phase 2Lower elevation of the front elevation (see DRAWING DF02)

6 Months £345,000

Phase 3Rendered elevation and façade adjacent to disabled access

4 Months £300,000

Phase 4 Rear elevations 8 Months £500,000

Phase 5Two side elevations adjacent to the front of the church

6 months £400,000

Construction Costs

32 months £1,985,000

VAT (20%)Currently reclaimable under LPOW Scheme

£397,000

FEES (15%)£297,750

VAT (20%) on Fees

NOT reclaimable £59,550

TOTAL COSTS £2,739,300

Phasing of Works


Phasing of Works

Description Phase 1 Phase 2 1& 2

Construction Costs £440,000 £345,000 £785,000

VAT (20%) £88,000 £69,000 £157,000

Fees (@ 15%) £66,000 £51,750 £117,750

Vat on Fees (20%) £13,200 £10,350 £23,550

TOTAL £607,200 £476,100 £1,083,300

Phasing of Works – Packages 1 & 2


Proposed Packages of Works

Sources of Funding

NIEA (Northern Ireland Environment Agency) Currently not available for Grade B listed churches

HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund)

Current funding scheme available – maximum £100,000 available with a RESTRICTION of £250,000 on the total project costs.

TWO submission dates - end September and March

Approval usually takes up to 12 months.

A formal tender process must be followed and work cannot start on site until approval is granted.

The scheme is changing in December 2012 according to their website. The new scheme has a maximum of £250,000 available.

LPOW (Listed Places of Worship VAT reclamation scheme)

New scheme came into operation in March 2011.

New scheme has a fixed budget and operates with fixed quarterly budgets and payments are made once a quarter.

The maximum grant payable is 20% of project costs (VAT on fees is no longer eligible).

The majority of repair works to St. Patrick’s Church are eligible for full VAT reclamation (20%), however, whilst the VAT reclamation scheme is open at present the future is uncertain and the scheme is reviewed annually.STONE CONSERVATION SERVICES

CONSARC DESIGN GROUP


Funding

Project Costs Phase 1 Only Phase 1 and 2

TOTAL £607,200 £1,083,300

Potential Funding Phase 1 Only Phase 1 and 2

VAT reclaim £88,000 £157,000

HLF £100,000 - £250,000 £100,000 - £250,000

TOTAL FUNDING £188,000 - £338,000 £257,000 - £407,000

Own Funds needed £269,200 - 419,200 £676,300 - £826,300

Summary of Projects Costs and Potential Funding– Packages 1 & 2

Decide on Package of works to proceed with and make a further approach to HLF


Next Steps

QuestionsSTONE CONSERVATION SERVICESCONSARC DESIGN GROUP

Documents

Condition Survey & Recommendations for Repair St. Patricks Church, Donegall Street STONE CONSERVATION SERVICES CONSARC DESIGN GROUP 27 September 2012