Interior work under way at St Magnus Cathedral

Work to install a new vestibule at the west entrance of St Magnus Cathedral is under way, as part of a two-stage project that Orkney Islands Council (OIC) says could take several months.

The council has also confirmed that a “design review” of the recently rejected plans to improve accessibility — by developing the steps at the exterior of the building — is in progress.

The new internal entrance porch, created from oak and glass, will provide a clear view from one end of the cathedral to the other, and will also reveal some currently hidden features of the original stone archway.

The project was approved at a meeting of OIC’s policy and resources committee in November 2019, and was ratified by the full council in December 2019.

An OIC spokeswoman said: “This is a two-part project. The first of these is now under way.

“This involves work to construct a new entrance vestibule, with essential maintenance work on the front elevation of the cathedral being carried out at the same time.

“The second part of the project — to improve access to the Cathedral — is currently the subject of a design review after listed building consent was turned down for the current plans.”

Recently, approval was sought by OIC to develop the exterior of the west entrance — by installing a ramp, handrails, and raising the flagstones to become level with the entrance. However, the proposed developments were rejected by councillors at a meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday, March 3.

The spokeswoman added: “The project will take several months, with a projected completion date of late August.

“During this time, access to the cathedral will continue to be through the south nave side door — there are signs directing the public through the side gate.

“Please be aware that there may be restricted access and some noise disruption, whilst the work is carried out.”