This summer has seen excellent progress on site, with the external brickwork now repaired and repointed, the restored parapet now almost complete and the interior ironwork cleaned and painted. Work on the tower will resume in mid September, with all the replacement stonework and other materials now on site.

In early September the timber roof trusses were delivered and are now ready for installation - another major milestone.

Simon Hawkins of Glevum Consulting has worked as consultant project manager for the Dockyard Trust since 2015. With construction underway Simon plays a crucial role liaising with the professional team, managing cash flow and ensuring that the project stays on programme and within budget.

Simon says …

“It has taken many years to get this amazing but hugely complex project underway.

The level of dereliction has brought a range of conservation problems and risk. It was only when the scaffolding was erected that inspections could be undertaken to fully assess the true extent and quantity of repairs.

We now have a 100% understanding of the building and a highly detailed plan of works through to completion. Work is progressing at a good pace with the onsite team carefully restoring and conserving the external walls. Painstaking repairs are being undertaken to ensure that the building will be safe, watertight and structurally sound for many years to come”

Robert Songhurst from Hugh Broughton Architects is the lead designer of the project. He says …

“Repairs to the brick and stone exterior are well underway, and the new parapets are nearing completion. The reconstruction of the tower, which was severely damaged in the 2001 fire, has also commenced, with existing stones being carefully cleaned, repaired and reused where possible. Internally, the original cast iron columns, having survived the fire and then 20 years of exposure to the elements. They have cleaned up beautifully and are ready for repainting.

Meanwhile, designs are being finalised for new bronze-framed windows, timber doors and a cantilevered stone staircase – all to match the original 1820s scheme by George Ledwell Taylor. There are also plans to restore the tower’s clock faces, complete with a working mechanism.

The coming months will see the construction of the new roof. This will be supported by engineered timber and metal trusses and weathered using slate and zinc. With the building weathertight once more focus will shift to the interior and, with it, to the creation of the young enterprise centre – an exciting new use that will ensure that Dockyard Church is not only an important piece of architectural history preserved for future generations, but also a vital asset for the local community.’

Photos taken by Robert can be viewed in the gallery below, following his recent visit.