As members of the Bradfield community will know, the Campus Development Framework (CDF) is the result of several years of planning and consultation throughout all levels of the College. We are delighted that it has now reached the stage of public consultation before approval by the College Council. I am very grateful to the numerous people who have enabled us to reach this point.

The CDF is conceived as an overarching consideration of the College campus and its potential future development, not as a formal or timetabled programme of specific works. Its scope includes consideration of projects that would enable the College to flourish in the years leading up to and beyond our two hundredth anniversary in 2050.

The central purpose of the CDF is to act as a backdrop to ongoing strategic planning and as a material consideration to potential formal planning applications in the years ahead. It is designed to enable rational development of the campus in sympathy with existing buildings, with the local environment and with our neighbours.

It is intended to help the College respond to the changing demands and opportunities for an independent school committed to offering the very best in all round education. It should simultaneously enable interested parties to understand College developments in a broader perspective.

We formally consulted on the CDF between Tuesday 19 February 2019 and Tuesday 19 March 2019. The published report can be found below. If you have any queries, please email the Capital Projects team at: cdf@bradfieldcollege.org.uk.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Christopher Stevens, Headmaster

Campus Development Framework

 

ST ANDREW’S PROJECT

St Andrew's Project Press Release

BRADFIELD COLLEGE REUNITED WITH ITS ROOTS AFTER COMPLETING PURCHASE OF HISTORIC ST ANDREW’S CHURCH

Bradfield College has completed the purchase of St Andrew’s Church from the Oxford Diocese and Church Commissioners. The acquisition by the College secures the future of the historic Grade II* listed building which is intimately tied to the College’s history.

St Andrew’s Church (Grade II*) was originally constructed in the 14th century and has been closely associated with Bradfield College since the mid-nineteenth century when our founder, Thomas Stevens, the local parson, expanded the Church substantially along with his friend, the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott.

The foundation of the College in 1850 is reputed to stem from the founder’s desire to enhance his Church choir with young choristers. Indeed, a World War I memorial window was added to the north aisle in 1916 for Lt Blackall Simonds, son of one of the first pupils at Bradfield, of the 1st south Wales Borderers 24th Regiment, ‘Killed whilst leading the attack in a quarry at Vendresse in France, 26th Sept. 1914.’ The Church was inextricably linked to the College until the College grew so large that it needed its own place of worship.

As the College now has its own Chapel, retaining the Church as a place of worship was not a viable option. The necessary consents have therefore been secured to convert St Andrew’s into a unique learning centre for the College, including a library, seminar rooms, and a dedicated presentation space and refreshment area, whilst retaining the architectural features that make it such a special place.

The College recognises the historical significance of the building and has sought to retain a number of important features such as the font, memorial plaques and sample pews. As well as the building the sale comprises a small piece of land to enable the creation of a link from the existing College campus directly into the Church. Other than this small piece of land to accommodate the link building, the churchyard does not form part of the sale and will remain under the ownership of Bradfield PCC and open to the public (subject to certain localised restrictions during the conversion process for health and safety reasons).

Reuniting church and College offers an exciting and fitting future for a building of great architectural merit and we look forward to ensuring this beautiful building becomes a vibrant and inspiring space once more.

You can find out more about our vision for the project and a visualisation of what the building will look like on completion here.

The restoration and conversion began at the end of April 2022 and are expected to be completed around the end of 2023 if all goes to plan. Regular updates on the impact of the construction on the churchyard users can be found below. We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this time.

ST ANDREW’S PROJECT UPDATE 13.3.23

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What will the building be used for?

The building will be used as a Learning and Study Centre. You can find out more about the plans here.

What is the scope of the repairs and renovation?

The project includes the complete repair and renovation of the building. The following is a list of some of the key items, but it is not exhaustive:

  • Removal of the existing roof tiles, repairs to the timbers and installation of a new roof;
  • External brickwork, stonework, window and clock repairs;
  • Installation of utilities (electricity and water) and new drainage, all under the driveway through the churchyard;
  • Installation of external bollard lighting along the pathways;
  • New gravel finish to pathways around the church;
  • Repairs to the boundary walls;
  • Creation of a new link building from the South Transept to the College grounds;
  • Complete refurbishment internally, including new mezzanine floors.

A plan showing some of the key external works is shown below.

Key external works

When will the project works start and finish onsite?

The works are due to commence onsite at the end of April 2022 with an anticipated completion towards the end of 2023.

How long will the site be open each day?

The site operating hours are 07:30 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 07:30 to 13:00 on Saturdays.

Will the contractor be working at weekends?

The contractor is permitted to work from 07:30 to 13:00 on Saturdays.

Where will the contractor’s compound be situated?

The contractor’s main compound and contractor parking will be in the College’s Science Centre car park. They will also have a smaller compound in the College grounds on Gray School car park, adjacent to the church.

How will the contractor be accessing the site?

The contractor’s primary vehicular access route will be from the Science Centre car park through the College via Chapel Bank.  Wherever practicable, materials and equipment will be delivered from the College through the entrances on the south side of the building.

It will occasionally be necessary to bring materials and machinery along Church Road, for example, to erect scaffolding to the north side of the building and to excavate the services trench which will run under the existing driveway and paths.

Pedestrian access will be via Ashampstead Road and Church Road and all pedestrians will be advised to be quiet and courteous at all times.

Please refer to the site logistics map below.

Site Logistics Map

Will the contractor be allowed to park on Church Road?

No.  All contractor parking will be in the College’s Science Centre car park.

How will you keep us updated on the project?

We will display regular updates on a noticeboard on the gatepost entrance to the churchyard as well as above on this page. We will also keep the PCC updated on the progress of the works and any temporary restrictions. We will also contact individual residents if there are likely to be any short-term access restrictions (e.g. whilst off-loading equipment or materials). Should you have any specific queries, please email the Capital Projects Team at cdf@bradfieldcollege.org.uk.

The contractor’s emergency contact details will also be on display in the churchyard.

What are the arrangements for accessing the Churchyard?

The churchyard will generally remain open to the public throughout the works. However, some areas will be temporarily inaccessible for health and safety reasons. We will aim to keep any closures to a minimum and these will be communicated via the noticeboard in the churchyard and on this page.

Will there be any restrictions regarding when the public can visit the Churchyard?

The churchyard will generally remain open to the public throughout the works.  However, some areas will be temporarily inaccessible for health and safety reasons.  We will aim to keep any closures to a minimum and these will be communicated via the noticeboard in the churchyard and on this page.

How will the Churchyard be protected and maintained during the works?

A comprehensive condition survey will be undertaken prior to the works starting. Wherever possible, access will be via the College grounds. Construction methods and risk assessments will be in place and temporary protection may be applied to individual memorials where necessary and we will attempt to inform the relatives via the PCC. Alternatively, if you are concerned about a particular memorial, please email cdf@bradfieldcollege.org.uk with as many details as possible about the memorial (location, inscriptions, your contact details and relationship).

What will be done to limit construction noise?

As with any construction project there will inevitably be noise and disruption. In order to reduce the noise impact, all plant will be fitted with noise suppression equipment and, where possible, located behind baffles. The use of radios or similar devices will not be allowed. No noisy work will be permitted outside the agreed working hours.

What are the plans for the organ?

The organ was removed by the Diocese prior to selling St Andrew’s to the College.

Will the public be able to visit St Andrew’s Church after it has been converted?

As an integral part of the College, there will be access restrictions to safeguard our pupils. However, we recognise that some members of the public will have long-standing connections with the Church and may want to visit the inside. We will therefore make arrangements for pre-booked escorted visits from time to time for anyone who may be interested in visiting. Further details on how visits can be arranged will be provided when the building is fully operational (anticipated early 2024).