Westleigh Baptist Church, Leigh On Sea, Essex

Completion date: 2011- we have just received planning permission for phase 2 works which should be commencing in 2020
Contract value: £1.3Million
Gross internal floor area: 880 sq.m.

MSA were commissioned to carry out a feasibility study into the viability of refurbishing the church's existing buildings or look at the possibility of designing a new building on the site. The church is a very active organisation hosting many different user groups throughout the week.

The new design had to accommodate sometimes incompatible user groups at the same time without leading to conflict. Following exhaustive studies a design was approved for a new 300 seat worship space, a large multipurpose hall, four meeting rooms and associated office, kitchen and toilet facilities.

The building is designed around an open sided courtyard which faces south. The principle rooms look out onto this space which is used as a play area for the children's work and as an external social area for the users.

The structure of the building is a laminated timber portal frame for the large volume spaces and load bearing masonry for the two storey elements.