Hugh Broughton Architects transforms fire-damaged church into thriving community hub

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Historic grade II* listed building reborn in £9.5 million project as a multi-purpose facility for local residents

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Sheerness Dockyard Church, a significant landmark on the Isle of Sheppey, has undergone a £9.5 million transformation, spearheaded by the Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust. The ambitious project, made possible by a £5.2 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, in collaboration with Historic England and numerous supporters, has breathed new life into the iconic structure.

Originally designed by John Rennie in the 18th century, the Dockyard Church stands at the entrance to the dockyard and holds immense historical importance within the context of the maritime history of Sheerness. Devastated by a fire in 2001, the building has now been meticulously restored, featuring a new roof and renovated interior spaces that showcase its rich heritage as part of the former Royal Dockyard.

With a new civic purpose, the church has been transformed into a vibrant community hub, offering an exhibition area, a café, events space, and a business incubator hub aimed at fostering financial independence through entrepreneurship among local young people.

Hugh Broughton Architects, in collaboration with conservation specialists Martin Ashley Architects, spearheaded the renovation. The extensive restoration work included repairing the exterior brick and stone, and the complete reconstruction of the clocktower. The new roof, faithfully modeled after the original design by architect George Ledwell Taylor, boasts trusses of steel and timber flitch beams, complemented by reintroduced rendered parapets and new windows, doors, and decorative iron railings.

Inside the Dockyard Church, original features have been conserved or reproduced, such as the fully rebuilt cantilever stone stair and conserved fluted cast iron columns. While not a complete restoration of the original interior, vestiges of the building’s history, including a broken stone stair and fragments of decorative plaster, have been preserved.

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The interior combines contemporary elements to support its new functions, with polished concrete flooring featuring re-laid original stone tiles, glazed partitions, and doors creating separate spaces for meetings. The upper level floors provide open-plan workspace, designed in the footprint of the original tiered seating galleries and connected by lightweight steel link bridges. The space also features slatted timber ceilings for improved acoustics, track-mounted light fittings, high-performance fire detection systems, and four large circular skylights that flood the area with natural light.

A highlight of the ground floor is the display of sections from a remarkable wooden scale model of Sheerness Dockyard, created over 200 years ago to showcase John Rennie’s design for the dockyard overhaul. Previously under the care of English Heritage, the model will now be returned to Sheerness, serving as a focal point for visitors and an educational tool to recount the dockyard’s story and its role in British naval history.

Island Works, a coworking space managed by Fruitbowl Media in partnership with The Kent Foundation, will be housed within the Dockyard Church. Offering flexible packages and various spaces to suit different business needs, Island Works aims to support local entrepreneurs. The Kent Foundation will provide business support to young people between the ages of 16 and 30 in the area, offering free workshops, advisory sessions, and events.

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Hugh Broughton, architect, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with the Dockyard Trust on the reinvention of George Ledwell Taylor’s remarkable Dockyard Church, revealing its architectural splendours and elegant proportions once more for people to enjoy.

“The reinvigorated building will provide a focus for young entrepreneurs in Sheerness and a place for the local community to learn about the history of the dockyard. The existing fabric has been meticulously conserved and new elements added in a sympathetic manner to bring new life back into this important structure.”

Will Palin, Chair of the Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust, added: “Dockyard Church now stands as proof that even our most battered, desperate and seemingly hopeless heritage treasures can be brought back to life if there is a compelling vision – and the energy and ambition to carry the project through. I feel astonishingly proud to have been involved in what is a once-in-a-lifetime regeneration project.

“Over the years we brought together a brilliant group of trustees and a first-rate professional team with the skills, resourcefulness and vision to achieve the seemingly impossible – but none of this would have been possible without the generosity of our funders to support a project of such scale and complexity.

“We would like to thank our many funders, led by the Heritage Fund, made possible by National Lottery players, and our design team (Hugh Broughton Architects and Martin Ashley Architects), project managers Glevum Consulting and, of course, our skilled contractor Coniston Ltd and sub-contractors – all who have made vital contributions to this special project.”

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive, Historic England, said: “The Dockyard Church was severely damaged by fire in 2001 and had been empty since 1970 before that so this is a truly extraordinary and much anticipated phoenix of a restoration project. One of the longest-standing entries on the Heritage at Risk Register will soon be welcoming the public back, thanks to the many skilled partners and craft workers who have worked so hard on the conservation and transformation of this special place.

“We’re glad to have played our part in its revival through funding for the project, including contributions from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, and sharing advice and expertise. We look forward to seeing the building back in use.”

The newly restored Dockyard Church will be accessible to the public. Additionally, the facility will offer spaces available for hire, catering to meetings and events, ensuring its active involvement within the local community.