Work begins on Restoration of Kent’s ‘Fallen Giant’ - Dockyard Church at Sheerness
Picture : James Brittain
One of the most exciting heritage regeneration projects in the South East is now underway after 5 years of planning and fundraising.
Grade II* Dockyard Church in Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent was badly damaged by fire in 2001. The building lay derelict until 2015 when it was acquired by the Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust.
In 2019 the Dockyard Trust was awarded a £4.2m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund toward a pioneering £8m project to repair and renovate the church for a range of uses, including a business enterprise centre for young people, a community cafe and a changing display of the great Dockyard Model.
The project, designed by an award-winning team led by Hugh Broughton Architects, with conservation specialists Martin Ashley Architects, will start on site on 2 November 2020 and is due for completion in summer 2022, to open in September that year.
The main contractor is Coniston Ltd, who have worked previously on major historic buildings including the Painted Hall at Greenwich and Canterbury Cathedral. PAYE Stonework will undertake the specialist masonry repairs.
Visualization of completed building (Hugh Broughton Architects)
Site Updates
William Palin, Chair of the Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust said:
“It is thrilling to be starting work, at last, on the repair and transformation of this landmark building which has lain derelict for so long. When complete, Dockyard Church will provide a major cultural and economic boost for this special but little known part of north Kent which has suffered decades of underinvestment. We are hugely grateful to our primary funder The National Lottery Heritage Fund for its incredible support and to all our other funders who have made this unique project possible.”
Stuart McLeod, Director London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“We are very excited that work will shortly begin to restore and revitalize the Dockyard Church at Sheerness. Thanks to National Lottery players, this significant grant to repurpose the church as a new enterprise centre responds to the economic challenges faced by the local area. The new centre will support the professional aspirations of young entrepreneurs by providing business advice, affordable work spaces and high-quality skills training. A café and flexible event spaces will also be created as part of the restoration of this important historic building, resources that will benefit Sheerness locals and the wider Kent community.”
The Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust
The SDPT was founded in 2014 to campaign for, and actively take part in, the preservation of the historic buildings in and around the former Royal Naval Dockyard at Sheerness, on the north-western tip of the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. The Trust's first project is the rescue and restoration of the magnificent but derelict Grade II* listed Dockyard Church at the entrance to the commercial port.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund
You can view the full list of funders that have helped in supporting this project, here.