The current 60 year-old church building is tired, cramped, and in need of significant structural repairs. As the Baptists considered their options back in 2009, the old Abbeyfield House and grounds, covering almost three times the area of the current Holway Road site, became available. The church raised nearly £0.5m through gifts and loans, and purchased the premises in the summer of 2010. Since then they have been preparing plans for the striking twenty-first century centre to replace the old building on that site.
North Norfolk District Council has now approved those plans, and it is expected that the project will go out to tender after Easter.
“This will be a superb new centre for both the church and for Sheringham” said the pastor, Bryan Pickard. “We are keen to develop our community activities, such as our youth club, after school club, toddler group, youth gospel choir, and art group, but our old buildings are holding us back. This project will be a real step of faith as we now need to raise over £1 million in order to erect the new building”.
The modern building has a curved glass atrium frontage, with the main worship area seating 250 people. It is intended that building work will start in the autumn, with expected completion by July 2013. The baptists are hoping they can remain in their current building until the new one is finished.
A plan has been put together to raise the funds needed, which includes selling the existing church site, a house in Garden Road previously occupied by the church’s youth worker, further gift days, and a whole range of fund-raising initiatives.
The picture above, supplied by SMG chartered architects, shows an image of the new church centre.
For more information contact one of the following :
For details about the church’s activities, see sheringhambaptistchurch.co.uk 