AN IMAGINATIVE project to transform a cavernous church building into the vibrant heart of the community has scooped a prestigious design award.

Portsmouth Lord Mayor Councillor Lynne Stagg presents the certificate to the Rev Canon David Power

St Cuthbert’s Church in Copnor underwent a massive £4.5m development project to split the original 1915 building into three.

In the east end, a GPs’ surgery was created; in the central part, a four-storey community and educational complex was built; and in the west end a new worship area was created.

Now the innovative project has been named joint winner of the 2013 Portsmouth Society Best Reuse Award. The other winner was the former Grave Diggers pub in Southsea which is now a home.

Portsmouth Lord Mayor Councillor Lynne Stagg presented a special blue plaque and a framed certificate to the Rev Canon David Power, vicar of St Cuthbert’s, who conceived the layout of the project whilst listening to a concert in the church back in 1999.

He used the back of the concert programme to roughly sketch how the church could be divided up and subsequently enlisted the services of architect Nick Lee Evans to work up the design.

David said: “The original vision for this church when it was built almost 100 years ago was that it should be a place of worship and service to the community.

“So although St Cuthbert’s is being given the award for ‘The Best Reuse of a Building’, the development at St Cuthbert’s is, in fact, a fresh expression of the initial vision for which it was constructed.

“The place of worship, in particular, was designed to say with great clarity, ‘This may be a historic listed building, but our faith is a faith for today.’  

“My thanks to our architect, Nick Lee Evans, who has been a joy to work with, and to the members of our congregations, who have given or raised almost a third of a million pounds and endured much inconvenience over a very long period – including eight years without a permanent place of worship. 

“It is good to share this building with so many other groups and organisations who serve the local community alongside the church members.

“Together, we welcome over 2,000 people a week over the threshold for a variety of reasons, and the place of worship is becoming a familiar quiet space to many in our community.”

Cllr Stagg said: “I’ve watched the transformation of St. Cuthbert’s for the past seven years and am delighted with the result.

“The building really is a community centre catering for all aspects of the community including their education (pre-school), physical well-being (doctors practice), social well-being (meeting rooms) and their spiritual well-being (family-sized church, appropriate for the 21st century).

“And it was all the vision of one man - David. It was a courageous decision, not without its financial risks but a decision supported by the congregation which proves what a community enterprise it is.”

The awards were judged by four design and conservation experts including Celia Clark, the president of Portsmouth Society.

She said: “The place hums with activity throughout the week, fulfilling the important sustainability criteria of the awards: reuse of an existing building - now home to dramatically increased social activity, energy conservation and sustainable design.”

To nominate a new building, restoration or landscaping scheme for the 2014 design awards, please visit www.portsmouthsociety.org.uk or call David Baynes on 02392 831461.