BUILDING A BETTER COMMUNITY

This is a case study by CMG member "PRomotion"

The stunning new complex attached to Sheffield Cathedral is far more than bricks and mortar. It’s an enlightening example of how to build a better community.

The new Sheffield Cathedral Community Centre (CRC), designed by Birmingham-based architects APEC, is a £4.7 million project that has been ten years in the dreaming and one and a half years in the building phases thanks to West Yorkshire-based Ellmore Construction Group. The dream has now come true with HRH The Princess Royal providing the opening sequences on 6 March.

The CRC lays on an array of essential services for homeless people across South Yorkshire providing at once a sanctuary, clinic, café, counselling, education and career advice service as well as hosting a number of attractive European Oak framed function suites used by commerce from across the region.

The building itself consists of a reinforced cast concrete frame built off concrete pad foundations. The first floor is a suspended reinforced concrete slab cast with a roof structure constructed from steel framework supported by reinforced concrete beams.

Clad in a variety of attractive materials including Ashlar stone, the building features extensive stone paved areas with glazed canopies, steel seating and a distinctive perimeter fence comprising of twisted stainless steel railings.

The rear of the magnificent Grade I listed Cathedral, one of only two in the Steel City, opens into the bright and airy 1554 Gallery – named after the year that Mary Tudor endowed the Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust.

Entering via the cathedral provides an insight into a structural challenge that accounted for £½million of the total project cost.

Steve Ellmore, Managing Director of Ellmore Construction, explained: “The new building is accessed though a new opening formed through the NUNC DIMITIS window. This is a large full height stained glass window consisting of stone mullions supporting stone tracery at high level.

“Perhaps the most difficult part of the contract was to form this opening which was deemed a contractor designed element. Through our knowledge of the structure we designed a propping system to support the window and stone work whilst the new opening was formed,” added Steve whose firm in partnership with ARCUS unearthed the ancient remains of over 250 people buried within the cathedral’s grounds during excavations.

Complex structural calculations were undertaken to ensure the correct propping system was in place. The stained glass was removed from the window with the exception of that in the tracery which was left in situ.

Once propped, the existing stone mullions were cut through to form the new opening and a concrete support bean was cast on to concrete columns to support the stone work. The concrete beam was clad with re-used sections of the stone cill previously removed. On completion of the structural works, the stained glass was restored and refixed in position.

The stained glass from the lower section of the window removed for the new opening was later reused as a light box feature within the new building.

Steve went on: “This has been a very prestigious contract for ourselves and it has been a pleasure to work with Anthony O’Connor and the team at the cathedral. Our involvement has led to a number of amazing experiences and we remain fully supportive of the cathedral’s activities.

“The building itself looks outstanding and will help many people as well as enriching the community as a whole. We have been privileged to have been involved,” added Steve whose father Chris established the firm in 1972. Since then Ellmore has grown with rapid strides forward in recent years and a predicted 2007 turnover in excess of £15 million.

Anthony O’Connor, the man who co-ordinated the fundraising, is delighted: “This building really is quite spectacular in terms of its looks but more importantly its function which is to reach out and help people who are vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society”.

“The centre is now home to the Cathedral Archer Project which was set up following the demise of the coal and steel industries in Sheffield during the early 1980s. These two major challenges led to the cathedral establishing the Archer Project, which has steadily grown year-on-year”.

For many already it has become a home of sorts with the advice and services offered helping each individual in a number of positive ways,” added Anthony.

Upto 150 homeless people utilise the centre’s comprehensive range of services every day and it has also become the host venue for the Big Issue’s offices. Open from 7am to 2pm, the CRC employs 13 staff and features the Walter Swann Medical Room that is staffed by doctors, dentists, nurses and other health workers on a regular basis.

Funding has come from a number of sources including £2.2 million from the public purse in the form of a grants from the European Regional Development Fund (£1,029,000), Sheffield City Council (£540,000) and Yorkshire Forward (540,000). The Garfield Weston Foundation contributed £150,000 and Barclays Bank giving over £80,000 with the majority of the remaining monies raised from congregational activities, other Trusts and Foundation and contributions from the business community.

Sheffield can be justifiably proud of its newest community resource that truly is a centre of attention for all thanks to Anthony, Ellmore Construction and everyone involved in the project.

Enquiry form Name*: Postcode: Email*: Company: Telephone*: Your Project Details*: Select a region*: East Anglia East Midlands London North East North West Scotland South East South West Wales West Midlands * required field