Closure for Essential Repairs

HALL CLOSURE FOR SUBSIDENCE REPAIR

The Penfold Church Hall has suffered for several years from problems caused by subsidence and the cracks in the back wall have gradually become more serious. The large hall, the old National School, is a Listed Building and Horsham District Council has approved a scheme for the repairs. Thanks to the generosity of the Wilson Trust and the legacy of the late Millicent Honeywood, the Church Council has been able to approve the tender of Pilbeam Construction Limited, based in Southwick, to carry out the underpinning, strengthening the wall and other repairs. There is asbestos in the plasterboards, the flooring and in the outside paintwork which will need to be removed by a specialist contractor.

Following a meeting of members of the Hall committee with Architect, Simon Dyson, and the Contractors, it has been agreed that work will start on Monday 27 January 2025 when the contractor will seal off the large hall from the rest of the building and install an external tap. They will need the layby at the front of the building for a skip and mess facilities and also two parking spaces nearest the school entrance. The entrance to the building for the disabled will be, as now, from the path which runs from the Museum.

Pilbeam will need to strengthen the roof trusses and install temporary supports to the wall before the specialist contractor, Crucial Environmental, comes in to remove the asbestos. The precautions that they will take will mean that it will be quite safe for the other parts of the Penfold Hall, including the Parish Office, to be used whilst the work is being carried out. However, some work, particularly excavation within the hall for the underpinning, will inevitably be noisy.

The scheme is expected to be completed by early summer and we are confident that bookings for the large hall may be made from September onwards.