Historic Buildings

Building Beyond: Soane Reimagined

St Peter’s Walworth’s vision is to open its heritage to everyone, restoring Soane’s finest but deteriorating Grade I listed Church (one of only four Grade 1 buildings in Southwark), making it fully accessible, more welcoming, flexible and better-equipped for its community work. St Peter’s is home to a vibrant, diverse, majority Black congregation which is committed and generous, but cash-poor, reflecting a community with 31% of children living in poverty, along with other marginalized groups, including those with additional needs needing more support. The Church aspires to become an outstanding place for celebrating communities’ cultural heritage through activities shaped by them, with impactful local partnerships with the London College of Communication (UAL), Mentivity and others. The site will reduce its carbon footprint and strive for sustainability, addressing worsening crime and anti-social behaviour. Central to the project is tackling more comprehensively the repair/ conservation and infrastructure improvements needed by this much-loved Church.