A striking conversion of a Victorian Grade II* listed Church, All Souls Bolton brings a redundant building back into use as the focus of a local community. When Victorian Gothic Architects Paley & Austin were commissioned to design the church of All Souls, the brief was simple: It should accommodate a congregation of 800 people with unobstructed views of the pulpit. The building that resulted was the largest single span nave of any parish church in England, employing the latest technology in steel engineering. But after 100 years of use, a decline in the congregation led to its closure and its passing into the care of The Churches Conservation Trust. This project sees the church re-born as a community building, run and managed by a local community group. Two modern insertions have been placed either side of the central aisle providing a range of cellular spaces for community businesses, local groups and conferences. The new structures stand free of the walls of the church and a new open galleried system of walkways threads its way around the new structures allowing visitors to appreciate the architecture of the existing building from a new perspective. Café and exhibition facilities which sit beneath the new structures, provide community and visitors alike to learn about the church and its place within the local community. Major historic repair works were carried out to the church, including the replacement of the Westmoreland slate roofs, brickwork and stone repair and replacement of most of leaded glass windows to the nave. The project acted as an open classroom, with visitor from the community and further afield attending courses and lectures throughout the works. Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF said: “As the main funder of this innovative regeneration project we’re delighted to see how effectively an unused church like All Souls has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility for a wealth of community activities. It’s a great example of how, with creative thought and strong partnerships, a much loved historic building can be reinvigorated and turned into something that serves the needs of those who live around it.”