Howarth Litchfield to create new place of worship

A Sunderland church has chosen architectural practice Howarth Litchfield to develop plans to update and extend its current place of worship.Bethany Memorial Independent Methodist Church, located on Gleneagles Road, Grindon, has appointed the practice as lead designer and to provide full architectural services as well as contract administration on a proposed extension and internal remodelling of its existing church.The building, which was constructed in the late 1950s, struggles to meet the needs of the church in its current state, as it anticipates a growth in worshipper numbers. Furthermore, it is neither energy efficient, nor easily accessed by wheelchair users. Its current layout also limits the building’s use for other non-worship activities.Led by director Keith Handy Howarth Litchfield will use its experience of delivering ecclesiastical projects of this type to meet the client’s brief creating a modern place of worship which boasts low energy credentials whilst providing flexible internal spaces to more easily host a wider range of events and activities.Currently at pre-application planning stage, Howarth Litchfield is working with project managers and quantity surveying firm Todd Milburn, civil and structural design engineer Portland Consulting Engineers and building services design engineer, Sine Consulting, to develop a detailed cost plan for the scheme.Howarth Litchfield anticipates submitting a planning application in the autumn.