St Mary's Access and Green Spaces Project
Page last updated: December 2025
Since April 2025 we have moved into fundraising for this project and have the following updates to give:
QUICK WINS: £2,904 - FULLY FUNDED - To be started before Christmas 2025
We now have all the legal permissions in place for this work to start.
Work will improve the frontage of the church through the relocation of the notice board, removal of two holly trees, and the addition of new planters and planting.
We're grateful to Sandridge Parish Council who have provided a grant towards this work, with additional funding coming from individual donations.
The decision from the Chancellor for the removal of two holly trees is here:
"This is a detailed and plainly well considered application for the removal of the two holly trees.
I am, in this case, content to permit their removal subject to the condition below I do so on the basis that has been well encapsulated by Emma below [DAC adviser] and in the supporting documents highlighting in particular that there is no listing to consider as regards the appearance of the church in conjunction with the trees, nor specially protected status of the trees themselves. Neither tree is large and so serious ground heave is unlikely. Removal of the two holly trees is needed in order to open up the visibility of the church and forms part of a wider, phased plan to improve the access and setting of the church and its environment, including specific improvements to the garden areas and outside spaces. I am very pleased to note that the PCC has biodiversity in mind and proposes to replace the two hollies with Irish yews in planters and planting of a wild garden. Taking all of these factors into consideration I am content that a faculty should issue, subject to the following condition: (1) The contractor shall ensure there are no active birds' nests in the hollies before work starts."
PHASE ONE: FULLY FUNDED
We are delighted to share that we now have enough funds to commence work on Phase one!
Phase one is for the Rear Green Space and Doors: Enclosed play area; improved quiet garden; level access to all spaces; electronic opening glazed main entrance; and wheelchair access to community quiet and kitchen gardens.
Next steps :
- Informal consultation with church over finishes for door and fences
- Meeting of the PCC (Church Council) on 13th December to appoint contractor and agree finishes
- Formal consultation with church and wider community to obtain legal permission for the works - a 'Faculty'
We hope work will start after Easter, in April 2025.
PHASE TWO fundraising will now start in March 2026.
Phase two sees the development of our Village Green area, connecting the Church's green spaces to the Quadrant. We're really excited about this phase which is going to be a wonderful addition to Marshalswick community life.
We'll wait until Phase One is underway before launching fundraising for this next phase as we hope we can bring the funds required down with careful budgeting
Aims of the Project
1. Improve Accessibility
with accessible, electronic opening, glazed doors; level access, into the building and gardens; and wheelchair accessible garden spaces and furniture.
2. Widen Use
through the provision of an enclosed garden space; enlarging our quiet garden area for community use, planting a wild garden area, and creating a new ‘village green’ open space for daily use by the community and for larger events.
3. Increase Visibilityby effective landscaping, the use of glazed doors, and improved signage.
Phases and Total Costings
We have plans created by MEB Design Ltd, and draft costs from our quantity surveyor for each of the three identified phases. The total cost for the whole project is £211,000, which we have broken down into phases to focus our fundraising and our work.
PHASE ONE: £53,000
Green Space and Doors: Enclosed, play area; improved quiet garden; level access to all spaces; electronic opening glazed main entrance; and wheelchair access to community quiet and kitchen gardens. We just have £12,000 left to raise on this phase!
PHASE TWO: £53,632
Village Green: Open space on the South side of the church, with furniture, planting and hard standing for access and community events, and electronic glazed doors with level access.
PHASE THREE: £79,250
Car park and pedestrian access: Redesigned car park and pedestrian access to North side main entrance.
How you could help
We are looking for donations or both finance and skills. If you have gardening and/or landscaping skills, we’d love to hear from you – whether to help us in the planning stages or perhaps to help with maintenance. Monetary donations of all sizes are gratefully received; from smaller amounts that will help us with planting our wild garden and the new planters, to larger amounts that can be designated to particular aspects of the project. Donors can be recognised on a dedication plaque, either with their own name, an organisation name, or in memory of a loved one. We would love to hear from anyone able to offer support to this project; please get in touch.
Feedback
We're really grateful to everyone who gave feedback - groups and individuals. We want to keep receiving feedback all through the life of this project; please get in touch with any ideas, questions or concerns.
Page updated: September 2025