London heritage sites secure £1m funding as repair pressures grow

Across London, several historic buildings still in active community use are facing increasing structural strain, with repair costs rising beyond what local institutions can manage alone.

More than £1m in public funding has now been allocated to stabilise three such sites currently listed on the Heritage at Risk Register, reflecting a wider challenge in maintaining older buildings that remain central to daily life.

The funding, awarded by Historic England, will support urgent work at St Richard’s Church in Ham, St Andrew’s Church in Islington, and the former Sunday School building at Union Chapel, also in Islington.

Each site represents a different moment in London’s architectural history, yet all face a similar issue: ageing structures requiring specialist repair while continuing to serve local communities.

At St Richard’s in Ham, the most immediate concern lies with the building’s roof. Designed in the 1960s by Ralph Covell, the church is known for its distinctive form, shaped by a hyperbolic paraboloid structure. That design, once seen as innovative, now presents practical challenges, with part of the roof currently supported by scaffolding.

The church has been forced to close temporarily while further stabilisation is put in place. Funding of more than £425,000 will allow internal supports to be installed and a temporary covering introduced to limit further water damage.

In Islington, attention turns to St Andrew’s Church, where the spire has become a point of concern. Built in the mid-19th century to designs by Francis Newman and John Johnson, the building continues to operate not only as a place of worship but also as a nursery and community space.

The spire, currently wrapped in protective netting, requires urgent repair to prevent further deterioration. The funding will support essential structural work while allowing the church to continue its day-to-day activities.

A third project focuses on the former Sunday School at Union Chapel, part of a well-known Victorian complex that has long combined religious, cultural and performance uses. Restoration work is already under way to convert the space into a more accessible arts and heritage venue.

This project forms part of a larger programme supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with completion expected in 2026.

Taken together, the three projects illustrate the balancing act facing many historic buildings across the capital. They are not preserved as static monuments but remain embedded in everyday life, hosting services, events and community activity.

The funding provides short-term stability, though it also points to the longer-term question of how London will continue to maintain buildings that are both architecturally significant and heavily used.

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[Image Credit | Historic England]

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