Well, our fast but focussed progress towards a Masterplan for the Square has borne fruit and it now exists. More than that, a Phase One has been identified, focussed in the Cathedral Precincts, and an Application has been submitted to the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England for permission to proceed, if the finance can be secured (see on for that). The decision-making date for CFCE is January 14th but between now and then there will be statutory consultation with various bodies, so that is the prayer need for this month is that all who are consulted about our plans are supportive.
The driver for this hasty progression has all along the possibility of significant public funding (via emda) being available this financial year – which if not spent is lost to the city and county. We are now making our case to be the project that makes best use of this funding – and some key decision making meetings take place this month. We are hopeful of securing the crucial political support for this, which is a necessary but not sufficient basis for success.
Prayer Pointer – pray for the consultation processes around our Application to CFCE, to clear the way for approvals next month
- pray for the funding application to emda, and all involved in assessing it for approval
- and give thanks for the professional skills, dedication and hard work of all involved in producing a coherent plan under such tight timescales
Cathedral Reordering
The plans for this are also developing fast, although not under quite the same constraints of needing approval for funding in the immediate future. We are now confident that what we hope to do inside will fit with what we plan to do outside, but more work is still needed on refining all sorts of details before anything can see the light of day! The next meeting of the Reordering Group is on 14 December, when we will be taking stock of work done to date.
Prayer Pointer – pray for the continued work of vhh architects and for the Reordering Group reflecting back to them on their developing plans
Parish support and publicity
We again had a very good occasion with our parish reps visit to the project on November 15th, with tours of both St Martin’s house and the whole Square environment, and then concluded by sharing in choral evensong at the Cathedral. And if you’re receiving this as a parish rep – then your Christmas card from us is also on its way!
With the formal application for The Square Phase One submitted, the wider publicity agenda is also on our minds, as indicated above. All sorts of people will hear about our plans and we are hoping for positive reception but it would be naive not to anticipate some challenges also, as we are looking to make some significant changes in what is a formal conservation area.
Prayer Pointer – pray for the right publicity strategy and an appropriate ‘public face’ to the project, as people begin to learn more about all we intend to do
St Martin’s House
Not a lot to say on that this month – except that work continues on finalising the business plan, which is coming together well, I think. But then that will be for others to judge!
Prayer Pointer – pray for a Business plan that offers us the right basis for moving forward.
People
As you can imagine a project this large demands all sorts of expertise that is not immediately available ‘in house’, so this month I’d like you to give thanks for, and pray for the various people who offer us their time and expertise in particular areas – financial, legal, corporate and business. I’m only going to mention first names, for reasons of sensitivity, but God knows who they are…
Prayer Pointer – give thanks for all the people who have helped or are helping us with their professional skills and expertise, especially the following: Robin, Carla, Joe, Karen, Graham, Roy and Kevin.
Last word?
Advent is a season of expectation in all sorts of ways. Speaking personally, our third grandchild arrived at the beginning of this month, and our fourth is expected at its end – and of course that brings with it all sorts of thoughts and hopes for their lives which, God willing, will stretch long beyond mine. It’s a helpful reminder that what we create now is not for our own satisfaction or benefit, but for the sake of others. In a world where so much advertising is predicated on the premise “…because you’re worth it”, it’s good to remember that actually we’re all worth it. Advent expects and anticipates the realisation of the sort of ‘worth’ that comes not from within ourselves, but from the dignity God gives us. He came amongst us to tell us just that.
Pete Hobson – Project Director 3 December 2009