Centre for Heritage Skills aims to protect York Minster from climate change

York Minster is lodging a planning application this week for a Centre of Excellence for Heritage Skills and Estate Management, for research, education and training in centuries-old craft skills.

The project, fully funded by York Minster Fund, aims to to secure the long-term environmental, financial and heritage sustainability of the Minster.

Dating back more than 800 years, the Gothic cathedral requires constant repair, restoration and conservation work.

Of England's 42 Anglican Cathedrals, the Minster is one of only ten which have their own dedicated craftspeople. They have banded together to form the Cathedral Workshops Fellowship. 

"The Minster is quite arguably the iconic symbol of York and if we don't have the trained crafts people to properly care for it, then we will not be able do to the repairs or look after it as we do now," said Alex McCallion, director of works and precinct.

"The biggest threat to this building now is climate change brought about by extreme weather events.

"We just can't get the water off the building fast enough. We are doing our best to address the climate emergency through all the sustainable and renewable elements of this scheme.

"We are the first heritage site to drive the sustainability agenda like this. We have a moral duty to drive that agenda."

The centre is integral to the York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan which sets out a 15-year vision for the area.

If approved, it will be the biggest programme of works at York Minster in 150 years.

Alex said enabling works for the centre could start next Spring with the facility ready to open in early 2024, if plans are approved.

The centre is focused around two facilities: the Heritage Quad, and the Works and Technology Hub.

Garages and storage behind 2 Minster Court below the city wall would be transformed into the Heritage Quad, with a stonemasonry workshop, and facilities for scaffolders and gardeners.

Alex McCallion, director of works and precinct at York Minster, on the site of the proposed Heritage Quad behind 2 Minster Court.

The building will include an undulating grass roof over a wooden structure, using the latest green technologies such as rainwater harvesting, solar panels and air source heat pumps.

This private access, on the right, leads to where the Heritage Quad will be based.

Designed by London-based Tonkin Liu, it has a glass wall so people on the walls will be able to watch stonemasons at work.

"Every Friday the wall would be hosed down because of the dust," said Alex who recently represented York Minster at the Dubai Expo as part of its bid to build global partnerships and become an international centre of excellence.

The quad will also have dedicated residential accommodation for apprentices and exchange visitors.

"Our first year apprentices are not paid a lot of money and the cost of living in this city is extraordinary, even before the current crisis," said Alex.

The Technology Hub will be housed in the current Stoneyard in Deangate, pictured below, where space is at a premium and key pieces of equipment are reaching the end of their life.

The space would be reordered to house a state-of-the-art 5 Axis CNC saw and new lifting systems, mostly powered by solar tiles in the new roof structure, enabling apprentices to train in modern technology as well as traditional methods.

The drawing office would be developed and improved with up-to-date IT and digital technology.

"We will have processes dating back to the tenth century alongside the latest technology," said Alex.

"The reason we can move at such a swift pace is that £5m has been funded by the generous support of the York Minster Fund without whom this wouldn't be happening."