Following on from the success of Gas Street Church, APEC Architects were contacted by the Diocese of Lichfield to develop plans for a new church in the heart of Telford.

The Diocese had recognised that the Christian presence within Telford was extremely low, despite its population. The Diocese identified that a church tailored to families, located within the centre of the community, was crucial to address this. This was of particular importance for the Diocese’s long term vision, as the population of Telford is predicted to increase significantly, especially the young family demographic. The Minster is also an important part of Telford’s future and is a key component of the town’s goal to achieve city status.

The Diocese had aspirations of creating a 300 person venue, and managed to find a large empty unit within the central shopping complex. As it is a new church, we had to start design work prior to a congregation forming. Building on our experience with Gas Street Church, we worked with the small Telford Minster team to develop a layout that would meet their vision and offer the flexibility to adapt once a congregation was in place.

Also similar to Gas Street Church, the existing space has design challenges as it was not originally designed to be a church. The constraints of its first floor location on a tight site make it a complex space to adapt to ensure it is a safe and welcoming space, which is especially important to Telford Minster’s ethos of being open to all.

The Telford Minster team have had a clear vision from the outset on the type of space and atmosphere that they wish to create at the church. Their desire to step away from the traditional church aesthetic and approach to worship has shaped our designs.  The church interior retains the building’s industrial feel, with timber acoustic batons used to aid the internal acoustics as well as bring warmth to the space.

Despite the challenge of constructing the church during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was successfully completed on site.  The new church has been a great success and provides an incredibly flexible space for use by a range of people within the local community.