An application to repair structural damage in parts of Grove Gardens Chapel in Richmond has been put forward to the council. 

According to the planning documents, Grove Gardens Chapel has sunk slightly resulting in damage to the chancel and other parts of the site. 

Civil engineers, Conisbee, state: "The chapel has suffered from subsidence and a programme of refurbishment preventing further deterioration is underway. 

"Severe subsidence has resulted in the transepts separating from the main building and for the back wall to tilt away." 

The applicant, Cymes Conservation, has appointed Consibee to carry out works across two phases. 

Grove Gardens Chapel in Lower Grove Road, Richmond (credit: Planning application).

Phase one works intend to stabilise, underpin, and tie-in the Chancel; renew plaster on the flank walls; make temporary repairs to transept plaster and cracks; repair tiled finish at the altar; and secure loose and cracked floor tiles. 

Phase two works will underpin, stitch, and repoint cracks in the transepts; carry out permanent repairs to plastered walls; and repair the raised tiled altar floor. 

The engineers believe the cause of the sinkage is due to "the clay foundations expanding and contracting with the extreme wet and dry periods the country now experiences". 

Therefore, they believe the proposals would stabilise Grove Gardens Chapel, "securing the structure into the future". 

Image of tnternal cracking to the south transept (credit: Planning application).

In addition, a Bat Emergence survey from Furesfen also recorded bats flying around the chapel, with some potentially roosting in the site. 

It recommends that proposed works should be carried out at specific time periods to avoid interfering with their habitats. 

The survey notes: "Without further mitigation, the proposed activities have the potential to disturb bats that might be roosting within the chapel on an occasional, casual basis, and there are ways that this can be avoided by not undertaking external works at certain times of the year. 

"The safest time to plan working around bats is the autumn as nights begin to get colder. Summer starts risk finding a small mating colony, which would mean halting work and undertaking a licence application. 

"The winter can be a difficult time of year to work around areas that have been identified as having hibernation potential." 

To read the full planning application, click here.