The main octagon of the present church was built in 1973-75, replacing the previous Victorian chapel, which had been burnt to the ground. Financial worries made it necessary to erect a pre-designed, ‘template’ church, accommodating about 240 seated adults.
By 1999 it was clear that the numbers attending Mass at weekends – averaging about 1000 – could only be accommodated satisfactorily by enlarging the church. In 2006 a formal project was set up to explore how this could be done. After proposals to construct an entirely new church were rejected on grounds of expense, the decision was taken in 2016 to build an extension to the existing church.
After exile from the church for nearly a year to allow the building work to take place, it was solemnly reopened on 3rd September 2017 by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. A new altar was consecrated, a new font inaugurated, and the new sanctuary with new ambo and tabernacle was used for the first time. New underfloor heating, sound and lighting systems came into use. The feature frontage window, showing the risen Jesus with our patrons, Mary Immaculate and St Gregory the Great, was designed by Sally Scott.
