Surveyor of the Fabric Chichester Cathedral

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1 Surveyor of the Fabric Chichester Cathedral Application Pack, December 2016 Introduction Chichester Cathedral is seeking to appoint a new Cathedral Architect, known as the Surveyor of the Fabric to support and guide the Chapter in its care for, and development of, the fabric of the Cathedral Church as sacred space and a place of hospitality. This appointment comes at an exciting time in the Cathedral s life, and follows the successful tenure of Colin Kerr who is retiring as Surveyor of the Fabric after ten years. Chapter is considering its long term strategic plan following the appointment of a new Dean in 2015 and with the valuable input provided by the Bishop and his team following a Bishop s Visitation this year. The report, The Bishop s Charge was delivered on 4 November Following this the Chapter will be working with others in the Cathedral s community and governance structure to develop a new strategic vision for the coming years. This vision will define the Cathedral s teaching and worship mission, and in turn provide the framework for delivery in many areas of the Cathedral s life, including the role of the building itself and the surrounding estate. The successful candidate will understand the building in the context of worship and teaching, and be able to identify how it can develop to support its mission in the future, as well as understanding and preserving its illustrious architectural and artistic past. Primary responsibility: The buildings within the red line, specifically the Cathedral building, cloisters and bell tower. The remainder of the Cathedral s estate and that of St Mary s Hospital Almshouses with which the Cathedral has a close partnership - will be the primary responsibility of the Head of Estates (new post, recruitment currently ongoing), but the Surveyor of the Fabric may be commissioned to provide project based support or advice on an ad hoc basis and is likely to play a part in shaping Chapter s vision for the Cathedral environment. The specific expectations of the role of Surveyor of the Fabric, in accordance with the Care of Cathedral s Measure (2011), are listed in the The Role and Duties of the Cathedral Architect (see appendix). Accountability The Surveyor of the Fabric reports to Chapter, and will be expected to do so formally once a year, providing a clear indication of what is to come as well as what has been delivered. The Surveyor to the Fabric will also attend the Cathedral s Fabric Advisory Committee (FAC), working closely with the FAC

2 Chairman. The primary working relationships will be with the Communar and Executive Director, the Dean of Chichester (who takes the primary clergy interest in the building) and the Head of Estates. Support should also be provided to the Cathedral s fundraising body, the Chichester Cathedral Restoration and Development Trust. Meeting Attendance FAC meetings take place three times annually. Attendance is also required at internal planning meetings (six times annually) as well as for site meetings or other project specific purposes as required. Chapter attendance would usually be once a year. Permanent office accommodation is not provided at Chichester Cathedral but hot desk access, or (by appointment) a private meeting room can always be made available. Cathedral Staffing and Support The position of Head of Estates is currently being recruited. This will be a broad role with the responsibility for managing the maintenance and development of the Chichester Cathedral property portfolio (and that of St Mary s Hospital Almshouses). The post holder will not be a qualified architect but is expected to be competent to lead on building and maintenance projects on properties many of them listed - in the Cathedral s portfolio. Nevertheless, specialist input will be required on occasion and candidates for the Surveyor of the Fabric should indicate whether they would be interested in providing that support on an ad hoc, paid basis, and what they see as the key issues in taking on such a role. The Head of Estates will be supported by a Cathedral Maintenance Manager, with a similar role supporting at St Mary s Hospital Almshouses. The Cathedral Maintenance Manager leads a team of four with skills and experience in general maintenance, decorating, landscaping and related tasks. Upcoming projects: Chichester Cathedral has urgent projects scheduled for the near future, including: A quantity surveyor estimated 280,000 project on the stonework of the West Cloister, incorporating the installation of a new gate to the Cloister Garden. This project is fully funded and specified, and has Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (CFCE) approval. It is ready to tender, and tenders should be invited as soon as possible in 2017 with a start date ideally in late Spring / early Summer; Commencement of the work to re-cover the Cathedral s High Roofs. Identified as a requirement in the Cathedral s last Quinquennial Inspection (QI) this project has been the subject of

3 comprehensive research and planning in recent years by the retiring Surveyor, who has recently provided a full report to Outline Design Stage detailing the issues and methodology (see appendix). The project has been estimated at a cost of 4.8m by a quantity surveyor. It has been identified as having four elements. The first of these is the Quire and Presbytery, estimated at 1.4m with a start date on site required in Autumn 2017 following the recent award of a 250,000 grant from the government s World War One Centenary Cathedral Restoration Fund. The terms require the grant to be fully utilised on the project by February 2018; A small project to conserve and remove protective glass from Romanesque Carvings in the South Quire Aisle; The installation of stainless steel handrails to the Bell Tower staircases; The installation of walk-on glass over the Roman Mosaic in the South Quire Aisle. The Cathedral s next Quinquennial Inspection is due in 2017, it is required to be delivered within 24 months of the appointment of a new Surveyor of the Fabric. The re-ordering of the St Michael and All Angels (Sailors ) Chapel took place earlier this year, and the CFCE has recently approved work to conserve and re-display the Cathedral s 1910 Sommers Clark Reredos in the Chapel. This project will be followed to completion (estimated Easter 2017) by Colin Kerr, the current Surveyor of the Fabric. In the medium term and long term: Chapter will be considering how the delivery of its strategy may require the building to develop to better serve as a centre of worship and teaching; The High Roofs project will continue, subject to funding and demonstrable priority; The Cathedral s Bell Tower sited between the Cathedrals north-west corner and West Street - remains structurally sound but has been in need of significant restoration for many years. Recently this was noted by Historic England as the Chichester Cathedral Bell Tower was added to its Heritage at Risk Register, at the Cathedral s instigation. The development of a suitable scheme to support fundraising and subsequent conservation must be a priority; Consideration of the northern and western approaches to the Cathedral and their role in welcoming visitors and pilgrims, and within the context of Chichester city centre; There may be opportunities to develop space in the area known as Buttress 60, off the North Transept, where a building once stood; Chapter is considering the value of an updated lighting scheme in the Cathedral;

4 An update to the Cathedral s Conservation Plan should be brought forward. To develop these ideas and to bring forward prioritised projects with a strong chance of success Chapter will require a comprehensive fundraising case for support and a long term masterplan for capital projects. The Surveyor to the Fabric will play an important role in their development and, it is hoped, project delivery. Partnerships As well as working closely with Cathedral staff, the new Surveyor of the Fabric is expected to develop strong and effective partnerships with the CFCE, amenity societies, Historic England, local government planners and other stakeholders. These partnerships should be based on an understanding of the respective roles and priorities, and a willingness to consult and discuss early in project lifespans. The Cathedral retains a consultant archaeologist and has a long tradition of investigation and record before, during and after fabric repairs. The candidate would be expected to be familiar with such work and to be supportive of it. Fees An annual retainer of 7,500 pa will be paid. This is expected to cover: Attendance at the meetings identified above and the production of any related reports; Ad hoc support, enquiries, telephone conversations and support, as well as short papers and reports and the early stage development of projects some of which may not come to fruition. The retainer fee implies that work for Chapter is given priority and that Chapter and its officers may seek and receive advice without incurring fees; Expenses. Some reports and studies e.g. Quinquennial Inspection, or more substantial project scoping work, may fall beyond the retainer. Applicants are asked to indicate report(s) that might fall under this heading and provide indicative costs for them as well as an indicative day rate for work outside the bounds of the retainer. If work is outside the retainer the Cathedral will welcome an approach where it is paid for on a day rate (following the approval of an estimate) where all parties are aware of costs. Percentage based fees for project work carried out by external contractors: The Cathedral is keen to work on a sliding scale for such fees, recognising that small jobs often carry a premium in terms of work, whilst larger ones e.g. roof work, can be more straightforward. Early scoping work including the development of briefs and concept designs may (as noted above) be paid on a day rate with a consequent reduction in

5 percentage fees of construction costs. Applicants are expected to be prepared to explore such an approach and to be outline their ideas at interview if shortlisted. Handover There is much to do, and with the current architect ready to hand over the reins the Cathedral is seeking a swift handover following appointment in February. Colin Kerr will provide handover briefings and extensive documentation to the successful candidate. The Cathedral s existing system for archiving of documentation is in need of attention and, some would argue, dedicated space. Appointment Once the new Surveyor of the Fabric has been appointed, subject to a probationary period of 12 months, a review will take place at five year intervals. Application process: The full application pack including appendices is available on request from nicola.smith@chichestercathedral.org.uk / communar@chichestercathedral.org.uk. If requesting this during the holiday period you may wish to also text to ensure a swift response. To apply, applicants should write stating: why they are interested in the post of Surveyor of the Fabric at Chichester Cathedral; the skills and experience they can bring; their philosophical approach to the care and conservation of ancient buildings and the task of Surveyor of the Fabric, noting in particular the significance of the Cathedral as a sacred space and its surroundings as a potential extension of its mission through hospitality. Please include: a CV; information about your practice structure; relevant portfolio information. These should be ed, with one complete paper copy also provided, to: David Coulthard, Communar and Executive Director, Chichester Cathedral, The Royal Chantry, Cathedral Cloisters, West Sussex, PO19 1PX. communar@chichestercathedral.org.uk

6 Should you wish to discuss the role or clarify any points in advance of applying, please contact David Coulthard, Communar and Executive Director, / The closing date is 16 January 2017 at midday. Shortlisted candidates will be notified w/c 23 January. Interviews, which will include a presentation, will take place in Chichester on 10 February. Please keep this day available as the panel will not re-convene. A tour of the site will be provided for each candidate. There will also be some short exercises and questionnaires to complete online in advance. Following interview, the successful candidate will be appointed to start as soon as is practical. The appointment will be reviewed every five years, and is subject to a probationary period of 12 months. Appendices: available for download, contact Nicola Smith / David Coulthard at details above for Dropbox link Detailed Cathedral plan Map showing red line in the context of the wider Cathedral Close Chichester Cathedral Quinquennial Inspection Report 2012 Chichester Cathedral Conservation Plan CFCE document The Role and Duties of the Cathedral Architect Chichester Cathedral - Report on the Repair of the High Roofs The Bishop s Charge Visitation Report Working Relationships