Architect’s design gets Bishop’s blessing

THE Bishop of Salford, Bishop John Arnold, has opened a new chapel and school extension at St Joseph’s RC Primary School near Clitheroe in Lancashire with a special blessing.

The £750,000 project designed by Preston-based architectural and planning consultancy Cassidy + Ashton was commissioned by the Society of Jesus Trust to improve opportunities for learning and worship at the school in Hurst Green.

Cassidy + Ashton designed a new chapel, located on the upper storey of the existing fine stone building, along with an additional classroom constructed on the footprint of the old chapel, as part of a 1,800sq ft two-storey extension.

Pupils, parents, staff and members of the local community were joined by the project’s delivery team to attend Bishop John Arnold’s blessing, which also marked official completion of the project and opening of the new facilities.

The new chapel will be used to conduct church services for parishioners and school children in addition to providing new opportunities for community engagement.

The renovation, completed by W Monks, has also created additional space, with flexible accommodation that provides multi-purpose dining and teaching areas for use by the school and parish, along with improved facilities for both worship and pastoral care.

Cassidy + Ashton designed the scheme to improve facilities while working with the existing building and its rural location. Accessibility has also been improved with a new entrance, staircase and lift.

Michael Hartley, director at Cassidy + Ashton, said: “Cassidy + Ashton has a varied track record across the education, ecclesiastical and heritage sectors, which includes a recent refurbishment scheme for The Society of Jesus Trust, involving the restoration of the Grade I-listed St Peter’s Church at Stonyhurst.

“For a faith school like St Joseph’s RC Primary, developing facilities for worship, pastoral care and community engagement alongside teaching areas and social spaces, is integral to the ethos of the school and we are delighted that we have been able to design this project in a way that delivers the community’s needs while working with its existing building.”

Moya Smith, head teacher of St Joseph’s School, added: “There has been much anticipation about this scheme and Cassidy + Ashton was able to translate our aims into a functional extension to the building that combines both our pastoral and educational goals.”
 
“We are very grateful to our Trustees for their continuing support for St Joseph’s and delighted that Bishop John Arnold was able to bless the new facilities for us, making the opening of the new chapel even more special.”