Safeguarding

St Peter’s Project 2026

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St Peter's is a lively, multicultural community worshipping in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, as it has done since the Church was founded in 1915. We are a place of gathering and of celebration, both for the Christian worshiper and the local community person. We host a rich programme of community and cultural events each year, and the church is well used and well loved by thousands living locally.

It is our hope that St Peter's will remain to be at the heart of our community life in North Chiswick however there are some important works we need to do to ensure this continues. Including improving our heating system, drainage and flooring. This programme of works will protect and improve the church building for generations to come. 

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Our project has been costed at £275,651 of which we have secured and pledged over £100,000 (40%).

 

Some problems we have identified at St Peter’s :

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Drainage

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The drainage to the north and to the south-east of the church has historically been poor causing the surrounding areas to become a quagmire with rain. The bogged ground has cause cracking to the external adjacent masonry. A survey of the drainage system carried out in 2015 identified numerous radial cracks, fractures and offset joints. 

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Internally, the magnesite floor finish immediately inside the church is also cracking and becoming friable as a result of the damp conditions.  In the south-east of corner of the church, a puddle often forms with rain, creating an area of hardstanding water that covers access to the hall and the vestry.

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Failing rainwater goods are allowing moisture into the building fabric, particularly at high level. If this work is not undertaken now it will result in increasing damage to the fabric, further erosion to the pointing and lead to higher repair costs in the future.

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What do we want to do?

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1. Both water runs to the north and east of the church need to be replaced in their entirety.  This will include rodding eyes and gullies, and the replacement of two short feeder runs in the south-east corner.  The works are intended to stop the damp issues in the church, to ensure that rainwater is removed effectively from the building and to prevent further damage to the magnesite floor internally from damp.  The cracking of the magnesite flooring is a particular issue as it contains asbestos fibres as reinforcement, so the fragmentation of this finish presents a health and safety concern.

2. Excavating and relaying the rainwater below ground drainage to the north of the church, and to the south-east of the church 

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Magnesite Flooring

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Magnesite is a flooring material that was used during the 1930s-1950s and was made from a mixture of calcined magnesite and magnesium chloride solution with various fillers which could often include asbestos.  At St Peter’s there are extensive areas of a buff-coloured Magnesite flooring within the church as it is laid as the primary flooring surface outside of the timber floored seating areas. Our flooring has been tested and is, as we feared, known to contain asbestos.  

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It is understood that Magnesite is a relatively stable form of an asbestos but there remains a risk of exposure to the fibres where the surface is abraded, e.g. by footfall or furniture movement, and as a material it offers little resistance to damp conditions.  At St Peter’s the Magnesite is cracking in the north chapel, close to the location of the failing below ground drainage and is scuffed and scratched in all other areas of the church.  

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The Magnesite on the choir balcony has previously been treated with a breathable sealant as a test area, and this has proven successful.  The works now are to encapsulate the magnesite flooring at ground floor level with the same system.  The topcoat of the system has been specified to match the existing flooring colour.  As none of the standard colours are a good match this will be a custom colour.  This work is urgently required as a health and safety issue.

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What do we want to do?

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1. Coat the existing magnesite (asbestos) flooring with a breathable protective coating creating a safe, workable surface throughout the affected areas.

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New heating system

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St Peter’s Church requires a new heating system because our existing gas boiler has reached the end of its serviceable life, becoming unreliable and inefficient. The current setup can no longer provide consistent warmth across the building, impacting comfort for worshippers and community users. 

To ensure the church remains a viable space for worship, outreach, and events, a modern, energy-efficient replacement is needed. The new system will also support the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon ambition by the end of the decade. The replacement will also reduce maintenance issues, energy consumption, and the risk of system failure during colder months.

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What do we want to do?

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1. Replace the existing gas boiler with two new Vaillant wall-hung commercial condensing boilers. These will achieve a high efficiency of 97.3% and be connected to the existing radiators and pipework. 

2. A new Wi-Fi’ digital control system will be installed to optimise heating times and allow remote operation through internet-connected devices, reducing fuel use and carbon output. We will also install new carbon-monoxide alarms and full electrical connections, complying with safety standards.

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New Access Ramp and doors

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St Peter’s is a much-loved church at the heart of its community, welcoming a growing number of people and groups into its worship and community life. As activity is increasing it has become clear that the current entrance - with its worn ramp and solid timber doors - no longer reflects the openness and accessibility that the church seeks to offer.

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What do we want to do?

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To support this ambition for greater inclusion and openness, a new entrance is proposed: a thoughtfully designed combination of ramp and steps, along with a pair of entrance doors that can stand open and internal glazed doors that allow the life of the church to be visible from outside. This transformation will create a more inviting and accessible threshold for all who come to the building.

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The new entrance will significantly improve access for wheelchair users, people with limited mobility, and those with pushchairs & prams, while also offering a warm visual welcome to the wider community. As the first phase of enhancing the church’s capacity and use, it helps St Peter’s continue to grow as an open, active, and inclusive place for everyone.