New pictures have shown the progress an £8.5million regeneration project has made on a historic church devastated by a fire two decades ago.

The Grade II listed Sheerness Dockyard Church on the Isle of Sheppey was heavily damaged in 2001 after a huge blaze.

In 2020, work started on a project to regenerate the building, which was constructed in 1828, and is one step closer to being completed.

It is being restored to its former glory thanks to the help of heritage plasterwork specialists Artisan Plastercraft.

The goal was to restore and bring the landmark church back into use as a business incubator hub for young people - a transformation from a roofless ruin into a thriving venue boasting an exhibition area, leisure, education and working spaces, offices, café and meeting rooms - all while ensuring the conservation of the remaining historical features of the building.

Michael Arney, of Artisan Plastercraft, said: “ It was a particularly satisfying project to be involved with and it is pleasing to know that the newly revitalised building - such an important asset to the area - is going to be put to excellent practical use.

“Our role in the project was to secure and tidy the lime plasterwork of the main transept arch and restore the window ledges internally. More specifically, we undertook a variety of tasks including conservation, restoration and replacement of lime plaster inside the church’s main hall, centred around the large archway at the western end, and applying lath and plaster to the internal window reveals.

“We found that areas of plaster had badly deteriorated and so our conservators had to remove any loose pieces, retaining and refixing where appropriate and restoring plaster where it was sound, consolidating and patch repairing where necessary.

“Some decorative features, such as the arch plinth and sections of cornice, required more intensive restoration, which was achieved by taking a squeeze of similar or

opposing mouldings and using these impressions to build up detail and sympathetically restore the plasterwork to its former glory.

“Whilst the interior has been completely renovated to suit its repurposing, much of the existing fabric has been stabilised and conserved as found, preserving what was left of the 1881 interior and its structure of cast iron columns.”

The area is of significant importance due to its long connection with the Royal Navy and the church as an architectural masterpiece, which had unfortunately found itself named as one of the most important buildings at risk in the south-east of England.

The restoration project benefited from a £4.2 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and additional major support from Historic England and a number of trusts, foundations and individuals.

The restored building is due to open in May or June this year.