Behind the Sacred Heart Church in Bournemouth is what used to be its presbytery. This has become Bournemouth Oratory and comprises 780m2 over 4 floors (including the basement) incorporating 10 bedrooms with en-suites, offices, a lounge, dining room, kitchen, library and meeting room.
The building is a Grade 2 Listed building meaning that removals and new systems had to be sympathetic to the context and materials employed and necessary consents obtained before work commenced.
Given the age and condition of the existing services within the building, they were all scheduled for removal.
The building abuts the church and services needed to be separated from church and community areas, with dedicated new power, gas, water and telecoms supplies being taken to serve the Oratory. Water storage has being relocated from the roof voids to a basement plantroom were booster pumps are provided. New domestic water pipework, and new heating systems, local unitary ventilation from en-suites, new switchgear, wiring, lighting, emergency lighting, fire alarm and data systems were provided with every effort made to provide highly efficient systems whilst being visually in keeping with the building. The Worldwise team worked closely with the conservation architects, English Heritage and BCP Council’s Conservation Officer to select products and to design solutions that complimented the building, were aesthetically acceptable and fit for purpose.
