Church to reopen after £9.5m post-fire restoration

Sheerness Dockyard Church was damaged in a major fire in 2001

A former church in Kent which was heavily damaged in a devastating fire is set to reopen after a £9.5m restoration project.

The huge blaze hit Sheerness Dockyard Church on the Isle of Sheppey in 2001.

After more than a decade of work, the site is to become a new enterprise centre and cultural hub for the public.

The centre, named Island Works, will host free workshops, advisory sessions and events, and is due to open on Wednesday.

The site is set to become a new enterprise centre and cultural hub for the public

The Grade II listed building will also serve as a cultural attraction with a cafe and sections of the Dockyard Model on permanent display.

The Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust chairman, Will Palin, said the church had “lain roofless and decaying for almost two decades”.

“We are able to look back with enormous pride and satisfaction at its transformation from a desperate ruin to an architectural wonder – from a symbol of decline to a beacon of hope,” he said.

“Dockyard Church is now a vital new economic and cultural asset in this often overlooked part of north Kent.”

The project involved the repair and conservation of every inch of the exterior of the building, the rebuilding of the clocktower and a new roof, Mr Palin explained.

“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,” he added.

The centre is due to open on Wednesday

The renovation was awarded £5.3m by The Heritage Fund along with support from Historic England towards the £9.5m project.

Stuart McLeod, from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “It is an inspirational rescue of a neglected heritage building and by investing in skills development for young people, it will make a major difference to the local community and beyond.

“We anticipate Sheerness will benefit significantly from this transformational project and are delighted to be involved.”