Charity: Union Chapel Project
Location: Highbury, Islington, north London
Service: CAE design proposal review and access audit
Status: Client has actioned most of CAE’s recommendations, with more planned for the future.
The client
Union Chapel Project (UCP) is an independent arts, heritage, community and social justice charity based in a historic church.
UCP’s vision includes the charitable objectives of conserving and repairing the Union Chapel and opening its spaces to as many people as possible, from all walks of life.
The project offers a year-round programme of cultural performances and community activities within its spaces. It aims to enrich London’s diverse communities and strengthen relationships within these communities for social change.
The chapel operates as a church; a live entertainment venue within the main chapel; and a drop-in advice and supported employment programme space for those in need through the Margins project.
The building
The chapel was built in the late 19th-century as a non-conformist, congregational church in Gothic Revival style, with a large, high-ceilinged nave. It has Grade I listing which denotes it is of special architectural interest and comes with extra legal protection within the planning system.
The church’s main space has seating capacity for 900 people, excellent acoustics due to its design, and is renowned for hosting live music, film, spoken word and comedy events. The church includes a Grade II* listed Sunday School Hall, previously used for community purposes.
The brief
In 2019, UCP began its Sunday School Stories capital and activity programme with the aim of bringing its Sunday School Hall back to the community. The three-year project included the repair and retrofit of the hall to bring it up to the current standard and make it suitable for a modern audience. The hall also needed improvements to make it more accessible for disabled and older people.
As part of the project, UCP wanted to commission an access audit of the chapel itself, along with a review of its design proposal for the Sunday School Hall.
Barbara Basini, Head of Conservation and Building Projects at UCP, explained: “Accessibility is a major issue in our buildings, so we wanted to put it at the top of the agenda. We were keen to hire an experienced auditor with an understanding of access issues in historic buildings.”
UCP approached City Bridge Foundation – London’s largest independent charity funder – with their plans. The Foundation gave them a list of recommended organisations, from which CAE was chosen.
Ms. Basini said: “The audit was the first step towards the delivery of an accessible community space as it provided suggested changes to our design. It ultimately gave us the confidence of the sustainability of the project.”
CAE reviewed their design proposal and once the improvements had been made, Asa Hems, CAE’s former Access Advisor, a wheelchair user, tested the design in person.
Following the audit and design review, UCP has created:
- an accessible Sunday School Hall with a tea point (an area crafted to provide refreshment facilities such as hot drinks and snacks).
- an accessible toilet
- power-assisted side entrance doors for disabled access.
A hearing loop (an assistive hearing system) will also be installed in the Sunday School Hall in the near future.
The outcome
UCP’s Sunday School Hall renovations officially completed in May 2026. Its accessible toilet and power assisted entrance door completed earlier in the year and are in use.
“These features enable more disabled people to access our public spaces and therefore our services… we’re proud that Union Chapel is becoming more inclusive and accessible to Islington and the wider community,” Ms. Basini said.
“Our next step is to follow the other recommendations from the audit and include them in our business plan so that we can provide easy user access to the space and our facilities.
“Having Asa coming to test the design, as part of the CAE service, was also extremely useful. After his visit, we felt confident that we had created a space that was accessible to wheelchair users.”
Sunday School Stories Project was made possible thanks to support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Players, as well as Historic England, City Bridge Foundation, The Clothworkers’ Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation, Foyle Foundation, Benefact Trust, Islington Community Energy Fund, National Churches Trust, Friends of Union Chapel, The Rose Foundation, Islington Archaeology & History Society, Union Chapel Members, and individual supporters, with thanks to the Mayor of London.
London Inclusive Communities is a service from CAE, designed to help charities, voluntary groups and community organisations create more inclusive, accessible spaces and services. The programme is funded by the City Bridge Foundation – London’s biggest independent charity funder – and builds on CAE’s expertise in inclusive design. London Inclusive Communities continues the work of the Access and Sustainability Advice Service, which ended in April 2026. Applications for its services will open in June 2026. To register your interest, email communities@cae.org.uk.
Image: front facade of Union Chapel