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Community members from around the world often leave behind homes, families, jobs and security to live and work at Lee Abbey. Through the experience, God equips them for a huge range of ministries.
We want to honour that commitment, and God’s work, with a good standard of accommodation. Today, twelve Community members live in the Annexes (right) – tiny, cold rooms with an outside path to the loo. This accommodation would not receive planning permission if we tried to build it now.
Subject to final planning permission, we plan to build an extension to the existing 'Moos' accommodation block, and also a new block on the site of the Community car park. These new rooms will give us flexibility in accommodating single people, couples and families, and be designed to a modern standard with recreational space and car parking. They will replace the outdated Annexes, allow the necessary developments in the Main House, and remove the need for rented houses in Lynton.
If you have visited when the House is full, you’ll know how little space there can be in our Dining Room! We plan to create a spacious rectangular room with new floor and wall coverings. Not only will this make eating more comfortable for everyone, but access will be greatly improved for those with mobility difficulties.
Alongside this, the main Kitchen will get a long-awaited redesign with new equipment and a new layout, to create a quality resource for food preparation.
Once the accommodation and Dining Room/Kitchen are complete, we will focus in more detail on the following...
One of Lee Abbey’s best features is its creativity, and for that to flourish, it needs proper resources. We would like to demolish the outdated Annexes and replace them with Community facilities including practice rooms, music rooms, computers and study space. The Art Room will be expanded and the existing Community areas and office will be retained.
We aim for excellence in everything we provide. Our continuous programme of improvements to guest rooms includes the addition of more highly sought-after en suites. That doesn't mean we are planning to go 100% en suite, become a hotel or increase capacity. We would simply like to offer appropriate accommodation to all whom God sends.
We are looking at a number of additions to the equipment and installations necessary for the Youth Camps to continue their vital ministry: principally restoring the fire shelter, enabling field drainage, providing sufficient electricity and adequate over-winter dry storage. We are in ongoing discussion with Exmoor National Park as we finalise details and obtain planning permission.
The provision of two dedicated disabled parking spaces, together with raised paving to slow traffic, will create a safer and more welcoming Courtyard, especially for our disabled guests.