DMP’s Approach to Preserving Minster Parish Hall
Our team has been overseeing the preservation of Minster Parish Hall (originally built as a school building), a Grade II listed building in Beverley, through a comprehensive 10-year asset management plan developed in 2020. The historic structure, featuring a distinctive tower with a bellcote and flèche, architectural features often found on churches and other buildings, has served the community for over 150 years.
During a recent inspection, DMP identified significant decay in the tower structure. Using innovative methods, including a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) for detailed assessment, the team analysed the damage and presented the Parish Church Council with several options: erecting scaffolding for support, dismantling the tower for storage, or dismantling for immediate repair.
The tower has now been taken off to be stored whilst funds are made available to reinstate it at a later date. During the work, we inspected and found the tower moved when tested, and decay has increased since our initial survey, confirming that taking it down was necessary for safety reasons. Works are now taking place to consolidate the areas where the removal may affect the wind and water tightness of the building and where there are currently water ingress issues.
DMP’s approach, combining regular inspections, adaptive strategies, and expert analysis, has proven valuable in early detection of issues and informed decision-making. Our aim is to preserve architectural heritage while ensuring safety and functionality. We continue to advise on the most appropriate action, considering factors such as historical integrity, cost-effectiveness, and long-term sustainability.
We support a variety of historical buildings and create long-term asset management plans. If you have property problems with a historical building, we’d love to hear from you.