Memorandum by the Historic Chapels Trust
(HIS 04)
We are pleased to submit this memorandum which
is enquiring into the Role of Historic Buildings and Public Spaces
in Urban Regeneration. Our comments embrace listed chapels, listed
buildings and chapels in conservation areas.
The Historic Chapels Trust (HCT) was established
in 1993 to take redundant chapels into ownership provided that
they are situated in England, genuinely disused for worship arid
of grade I or II* quality. HCT acts as an "acquirer of last
resort" which is willing to take on unwanted chapels but
only in the absence of alternative sympathetic owners. HCT organises
the sensitive repair of each of its chapels, introduces modern
facilities and services where appropriate and opens them to the
public for visits at all reasonable times. It also encourages
community activities and occasional services of worship to be
held, these latter being organised by HCT's local committees.
HCT now owns 15 chapels of which seven are in
urban areas. A list of these is attached with notes about the
contribution each is making to urban regeneration. Nearly all
HCT's buildings are "problem" buildings including large
chapels, chapels in gross disrepair, chapels on unattractive inner-city
sites and chapels with precious but inflexible interiors. Many
have large burial grounds requiring substantial upkeep.
Despite these difficulties, HCT has a strong
track record of reinvigorating its buildings, providing public
access and identifying successful new uses. Once a building is
in good repair, usually involving a combination of English Heritage,
Heritage Lottery Fund and privately raised funds, chapels can
be made to "pay their way" from the proceeds of activities
and donations.
ORGANISATIONS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE
BUILT AND
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT
IN ENCOURAGING
URBAN REGENERATION
Generally HCT has benefited from a commendable
level of financial assistance, professional advice and expertise
from the DCMS, English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
This has helped HCT to achieve its objectives over the past decade.
The speed with which HCT has recycled its chapels would not have
been possible but for the financial support provided by EH and
HLF. HCT also raises approximately 50% of its funding from private
sources.
THE LISTING
SYSTEM
At HCT the listed status of a chapel and any
land attached to it is regarded as the starting point for repair
and upgrading schemes. Without listing many important chapels
would be vulnerable to demolition, inappropriate conversion, drastic
alterations and the removal of valuable fittings and fixtures.
Indeed it was to reverse a trend towards damaging activity of
this kind that HCT was established, in the wake of a large number
of tragic chapel losses. HCT has helped save many important chapels
from destruction and mutilation. Nevertheless, some chapels still
face an uncertain future because they do not yet enjoy the protection
afforded by listing.
In HCT's view it is not listing which hinders
urban regeneration but a poverty of imagination in identifying
roles and new uses for interesting historic buildings, also lack
of knowledge of the right skills and approach to regenerating
a building. The paucity of grant support, and some bureaucratic
obstacles to rectify years of blight and disrepair are factors
in discouraging even potentially sympathetic owners. English Heritage
grants for listed buildings have been static or declining for
several years. Unlike HLF grants all types of owner can benefit
from EH support.There is generally a low level of grant support
available nationally for the repair of grade II listed buildings.
ORGANISATIONS RESPONSIBLE
FOR URBAN
REGENERATION
Church denominations which are encompassed by
the Ecclesiastical Exemption have strengthened their systems of
protection in recent years but the Government should be aware
that a fresh flood of redundancies can be expected over the next
decade. Small bodies such as HCT cannot realistically be expected
to find new futures for all but a modest proportion of redundant
chapels, given present resources. New thinking and new resources
need to be devoted to this problem. In the view of HCT a Churches
Exchange should be established to provide information about unwanted
churches and chapels and this should be made available to other
denominations and sympathetic new owners. It is understood that
English Heritage is considering this proposition.
Unfortunately some local authorities can be
weak and vacillating. More skilled conservation officers, with
higher status, are urgently required.
Too many developers both public and private
fail to incorporate historic buildings sensitively into their
projects and raise absurd objections when asked to do so.
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS
AND THE
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT
Changes in this area have given cause for optimism
recently. The Ministry of Defence has taken an active role in
regenerating historic buildings on the Defence Estate eg Chicksands
Priory. Similarly, NHS Trusts have shown commendable willingness
to look after important hospital chapels such as Great Ormond
Street Hospital chapel in London though others face uncertain
futures—for example the former Brompton Hospital Chapel
and the Middlesex Hospital Chapel, both in London.
By far the most worrying proposals to emerge
from Government Departments are transport schemes. The
Channel Tunnel Rail Link threatened a number of historic buildings
including historic churches. Road and rail planners are notoriously
oblivious even to the existence of historic buildings and proposals
are often bitterly fought.
PROPOSALS BY
GOVERNMENT IN
THE HISTORIC
ENVIRONMENT: A FORCE
FOR THE
FUTURE
The aims of this document are laudable but it
is difficult to see how they can be brought to reality without
an increased level of funding for English Heritage and a considerable
strengthening of its powers, profile and budget. The recent decline
in funding for English Heritage flies in the face of research
which shows that it is in the interest of both business and the
community to afford high priority to the protection of historic
areas and buildings and to ensure that their full potential is
realised.
HCT has benefited from a system of 70% maintenance
grants from English Heritage for chapels in its care. This agreement
covers routine maintenance, minor works, temporary and emergency
work. It has operated successfully and could usefully be extended
to other organisations and building types.
FISCAL AND
LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
In HCT's view the following changes be made:
1. Increased funding should be directed
towards the repair of listed buildings at risk, including grade
II buildings. The extent of disrepair among listed chapels is
truly horrifying. HCT typically has to spend £500,000 or
more to repair and modernise chapels which are transferred into
its care.
There should be a full audit of historic chapels
at risk. Lord Rogers singled out "derelict empty chapels"
in the report of his Urban Taskforce. Action is clearly needed
to encourage regeneration schemes.
2. Legislation covering conservation areas
should be strengthened. At present interesting unlisted chapels
often form part of designated conservation areas but there is
insufficient control over alterations, adaptations and conversions
schemes. English Heritage's enforcement powers should be extended.
3. The reduction in the imposition of VAT
from 17.5% to 5% on repairs to listed places of worship has been
welcomed at HCT. Consideration should be extended to allowing
this relaxation to all categories of listed buildings. By contrast
new build is currently zero rated.
4. The provisions of the Landfill Site Tax
Credit Scheme should be reinforced to ensure the continuance of
funding for the repair of places of worship and open spaces associated
with them, for public benefit.
5. Charitable giving should be encouraged
further. HCT has benefited from rule changes affecting its Friends
Subscriptions. Under a provision of the 1993 Charities Act and
1969 Redundant Churches and Other Religious Buildings Act HCT
is allowed to acquire buildings for less than full consideration.
This provision could usefully be extended to other bodies which
own historic buildings. Using this mechanism 10 chapels have been
transferred into HCT's care.
URBAN CHAPELS
IN HCT'S
CARE
Todmorden Unitarian Church, grade I, West
Yorkshire, (with its grade II listed lodge, large burial ground,
garden and small detached burial ground). The site lies within
a designated conservation area. Repairs are well underway at this
cathedral-size redundant building on which over £460,000
has been expended so far, including much grant support from EH
and HLF. A heating system is due to be installed which will make
the building suitable for year round civic and other large gatherings
and for exhibitions, concerts and film showings. Many Open Days
and an important service of worship have already been held, but
only during the summer. Todmorden Unitarian Church has also been
offered funding through the Market Towns Initiative for retrieving
the historic landscape of the burial ground.
This is an example of a magnificent, huge, redundant
church being carefully reinvigorated in a somewhat rundown town.
The project has won several awards.
St Benets RC Chapel and presbytery. grade
II*. Netherton. Merseyside. The chapel stands on the north
side of Liverpool within an Objective I status area. This rare,
early post-Reformation Catholic chapel of 1793, is one of a tiny
group of listed buildings close to a large housing estate. Phase
I of a repair and upgrading programme was completed in 2002. This
will enable the chapel to be used for religious festivals and
other suitable activities. The presbytery is to be occupied by
parish workers. The building is being restored with English Heritage
support and funds from the parish donated to HCT. The chapel was
in a state of disrepair, having previously been used for storage
and offices.
Wallasey Unitarian Church. grade II*, Liscard,
Merseyside. A £375,000 repair and upgrading programme
was completed in 2002 with support from English Heritage, the
Heritage Lottery Fund and other donations. This unusual architectural
gem of the Arts and Crafts movement had been disused for many
years. Modern facilities and services have now been installed,
together with full disabled access. The church is open to visitors
and available for meetings, exhibitions and other events. The
adjoining church hall has been upgraded for continued use by Wallasey
Drama Club. Liscard is somewhat rundown—the area also has
Objective I status—so repair and modernisation of the church
should signal its regeneration and contribute to a long hoped-for
economic revival. The scheme has already won one award.
The Dissenters Chapel grade II*, Kensal Green
Cemetery, London. This chapel stands within a grade II* registered
landscape and designated conservation area. The open space of
the cemetery is a rare amenity in a very built-up area. This important
Greek Revival chapel was utterly derelict until 1996 when HCT
and the Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery with the support of English
Heritage and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea drew
up a successful repair programme, costing £535,000, to repair
the chapel, provide modern facilities and build a well-hidden
exhibition gallery/meeting room on the site of a former maintenance
yard. Funding was provided by English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery
Fund and City Challenge with smaller donations from HCT, FOKGC
and others. The chapel is open every Sunday. It is also available
for short and long term exhibitions and other activities including
lectures and concerts organised by the Friends. This venture is
now wholly self-financing. The project won a Europa Nostra and
other awards in 1997-98. Full disabled access is available.
St Georges German Lutheran Church, grade
II*, London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The church was built
by German immigrants to the East End during the mid-18th century.
In World War II many Jewish people were helped to escape from
Germany through the interventions of its Minister, Julius Reiger.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer also spent time at St Georges and was associated
with its work. The neighbourhood is a recently reviving part of
Tower Hamlets close to the City boundary, but the German community
now lives elsewhere. Repairs and upgrading commence later in 2002
including the restoration of a celebrated German Walcker organ.
The church will house concerts and other events, many of which
have already been initiated by our local Committee in conjunction
with the Friends of the City Churches. The Tower and bell turret,
lost in the 1930's, will be reinstated. English Heritage, the
Heritage Lottery Fund and HCT are contributing to the £700,000
project which has attracted much London-wide support, including
a £75,000 pledge from a single trust.
Umberslade Baptist Church, grade II*, West
Midlands. This is a handsome Victorian church on the fringes
of Birmingham, set in a large burial ground in almost rural surroundings.
Repairs and upgrading are estimated at £475,000 for which
applications have been lodged with English Heritage and the Heritage
Lottery Fund, and appeals made to private donors. The church stands
close to the Stratford Canal, two National Trust properties and
is not far from "Shakespeare Country". Visitors will
be encouraged to visit Umberslade from these other places. A public
path runs through the burial ground and will be upgraded. The
church organ is suitable for concerts. The building had previously
been disused for a decade.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, grade
II*, Blackpool. The chapel is on the outskirts of Blackpool
amid pleasant residential housing, close to and highly visible
from a large public park. HCT acquired the chapel recently when
a former convent closed. No suitable alternative users came forward
and this outstanding example of a church designed by the eminent
F.X.Velarde, of 1957, was clearly "at risk". Funds for
interim repairs were supplied by the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Lancaster and HCT will complete the upgrading and modernisation
to enable the building to be used for concerts and other events.
Local people are enthusiastic to help.
| 
