PLANS for renovation work on the clock tower of a church near Helensburgh have been submitted to council officers.
The congregation of Rhu and Shandon Parish Church launched an appeal in 2023 to raise £90,000 for repairs to its stonework tower.
An application for listed building consent has now been lodged with Argyll and Bute Council for works including the replacement of leadwork to the flat roof and minor repairs to the four clock faces.
Council officials are expected to rule on the application by early March, with plans now available for the public to view and submit feedback.
A design statement by architect Fiona Sinclair, published as part of the application, said: “In 2019, two drone surveys were carried out as part of an ongoing commitment to the external maintenance of Rhu and Shandon Parish Church.
“In early September 2019, before any remedial works had been undertaken, there was a fall of stone from a projecting lip at high-level on the church tower, and so in December of that year a further visual survey was carried out and a series of initial recommendations made that were based on what had been observed.
“In the first instance the south-east facing parapet stonework was temporarily restrained back to the piers on either side. The lead roof of the tower was completely cleared of sludge, berries, and plant growth, and the perimeter gutter cleaned out.
“It was noted that at least four of the eight copes to the pierced parapet around the tower would need to be replaced, and that two of the parapets would need to be dismantled and rebuilt. It was agreed that further erosion of the projecting cornice (from which the piece of stone had fallen) could be prevented by a covering of code 6 lead, a traditional solution to protecting a projecting stone ledge.
“It was agreed that while funds were being raised for the necessary repairs that protective netting be installed around the crown of the tower to catch any further fragments of stone that might loosen and break free.
“Tenders were sought for this work based on a scope of works that included the hire of a cherry picker, the removal of all tree and plant growth from the tower as far as possible, the removal of moss and lichen from projecting ledges as far as possible, the restraining of one section of the pierced parapet stonework by lashing back to the pinnacles on either side (using hessian straps or similar), the installation of tight netting to the top of the parapet and all around projections in order to catch any further fragments of stone, and the installation of tight netting around the projecting ledge at the base of the parapet to catch any further fragments of stone.
“Although it proved impossible to source a neutral coloured netting, the work was satisfactorily completed by August 2020. The steeplejacks who carried out the installation noted that a single pinnacle at clock face level had a crack, and steps have been taken to monitor this.”
The statement added: “Fundraising for permanent repairs then began in earnest, and in October 2024 it was agreed that a further inspection be carried out from a large mobile platform. The survey found that the tension wire securing the base of the debris netting around the tower had corroded and broken but that it was otherwise secure.
“Plant growth had re-established itself however, and, unable to penetrate the debris netting, was growing back through the pierced parapet. It was possible on this occasion to inspect the concrete pinnacles and a number of these were found to exhibit slight movement (albeit they are secured in place by stainless steel staples).
“It was noted that there were areas of missing pointing, that the clock faces needed attention, and that the louvres to the bell stage were in some instances either rotted or missing.
“It is now proposed to carry out the necessary repairs from a scaffolding, including pointing of open joints, repairs to the pierced parapet, removal of rusting iron cramps with replacement in stainless steel, indenting of missing or defective stone in petrographically matching stone, capping of the projecting nosings, parapet copes and projecting cornice to the balustrade in leadwork, replacement of the flat roofing in code 8 lead, repairs and redecoration of the timber louvres and clock faces and repairs to the (concrete) pinnacles. The flat roof will require to be re-designed to reduce lead lengths.”
To view the plans and submit feedback, visit the council’s planning portal at argyll-bute.gov.uk and use the reference number 25/02166/LIB.
