In 2009 we began a major building project, which was finally completed at the end of 2020.
This page mapped our progress – feel free to take a look.
Building Project
Take a look below at a drone video tour of the new building
Filmmaker: GoshawkFPV
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At the heart of the new ground floor is the proposed “Open Grounds Cafe”.
Vision
Our vision is to be a community space that cultivates friendship, celebrates diversity, and delivers a high-quality service to all our visitors.
Click on the video below to hear more fully about the vision for this space…
Day-to-day management of the project has been delegated to a Project Team made up of members of the church and headed by Colin Henry, our Project Manager. The Project Team liaise with the Design Team, comprising: architects, Re-Format; main contractor, Caldera Construction; Quantity Surveyor, Ian Ford; M&E consultants, KUT and various specialist consultants. Throughout the project, the Project Team have intentionally engaged with church ministry groups and other users of the building to make sure the spaces created allow our various ministries to flourish. The team are available to chat to church groups or individuals at any time.
Colin Henry MBE – Project Manager
Graham Ball – Centre Manager
Anna Cheah – General and Structural
John Feltham – Finance
Tim Wears – AV and IT Infrastructure
Ian Stackhouse – Pastoral Leader
Vision and Scope of Phase 4
Phase 4 completes the project by completely redeveloping and extending the ground floor, providing new kitchen, eating, welcoming, gathering and worship spaces. It also includes the redevelopment of our outside spaces, providing a better connection with the river and the town.
This short video from Ian Stackhouse, our Senior Pastor, shows how the redeveloped spaces on the first and second floors have already enabled ministries to thrive, and goes on to address the urgent need to redevelop the ground floor. (Please note that this video, produced in 2017, references Phases 4A and 4B. As described above, the current proposal is for single, combined Phase 4.)
Animation of new spaces
In 2012 the Architects created an animation that moves you through the building. Whilst some details of the design have now changed, it still provides a good understanding of the spaces.
In February 2011, the church voted to start a phased redevelopment of the Millmead Centre. The project was split into four phases, as shown below:
Phase
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Description
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Status
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1
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Roof over Auditorium
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Complete
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2
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Extended 2nd floor, all roof areas, two new staircases, lift, Chapel, external cladding, new electrical and mechanical services
|
Complete
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3a
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1st floor meeting rooms, breakout area and toilets (except over games room), and cladding
|
Complete
|
3b
|
New 1st floor meeting room over games room, windows to ground floor games room, cladding to north and east elevations
|
Complete
|
4
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Ground floor toilets, disabled wet room, kitchen, stores, dining space, plus Auditorium lantern, windows and external cladding, Auditorium, foyer, front extension, landscaping
|
Complete
|
We feature in a new magazine! Click here to see the PDF of Agora’s launch edition.
Photographs and videos

From the front entrance

Extension

Terrace

Ramps

Buryfields entrance

South side, with extension on right

Extension – looking from new entrance towards auditorium, with café/servery on left

Activities space – looking from café/servery towards kitchen

Accessible toilet nearing completion – hoist in place

Toilet floors laid and cubicles fitted

Kitchen – ready for equipment

Auditorium from main doors

Auditorium from A3

Auditorium dais

Auditorium side walls

For those who like the technical…


Pews in manufacture
New Auditorium seating in production in Ireland




Front entrance from one side showing overhang and cladding

Another view of extension from terrace area

Side of extension to council car park

Kitchen with ceiling, wall and floor coverings (blue on walls is a protective covering)

Auditorium – high level scaffolding in Auditorium removed. New ceiling in place with ceiling and beam painted

View from AV desk at rear of Auditorium towards lantern showing feature of original concrete beam and lantern baffles

Looking up towards lantern with new lighting bars hidden

Auditorium ceiling

Auditorium ceiling

View of lantern baffles looking down into auditorium – new lighting bars in place

Looking down on dias and baptistry

Dining and lounge areas with acoustic ceiling finished – looking towards kitchen / servery

By servery

Sliding door to servery

Kitchen with ventilation duct work installed and ready to have walls and ceiling fitted

Cladding on side of extension and access ramp

Cladding on other side (council car park) and access ramp

Kitchen windows in

Gutters formed around Auditorium

Auditorium – new ceiling in place

Baptistry – re-tiled

Looking from side door across dining space to cafe area; Kitchen servery and corridor on right

Looking back from cafe area to side door; ceiling ready to have acoustic plaster applied

Extension – windows and cupboard near new entrance

Side window by cafe servery and existing stairs

Auditorium – formation of new family room from balcony

Toilets being prepared for panelling

Toilet panels fitted

South side cladding almost complete

South side windows and scaffold

West side windows

West side cladding started

Window at side of extension

Auditorium windows in

Corridor plaster edge in place ready for lay in access panels

Glass screen and frame to toilet corridor

Frame for doors to Auditorium