A former Roman Catholic church in Wigan has been transformed into affordable homes and recognised with top prizes at the RICS Awards North West.
From derelict landmark to award-winning homes
St William’s Church on Ince Green Lane, which closed in 2017 during a reorganisation of local Roman Catholic provision, had stood vacant and attracted vandalism. The site has now been converted into 27 affordable homes through a joint scheme led by the charity Housing People, Building Communities and housing association Prima Group.
The scheme, known as the St William’s Project, was singled out at a ceremony at the Titanic Hotel, Liverpool, taking both the Project of the Year award and the trophy for Community Benefit Project. Judges praised the development as an exemplar of repurposing redundant landmark buildings and for its early, effective engagement with local people.
Residents involved from the start
A notable feature of the development was the use of a "sweat equity" model: prospective buyers, described by the project as “home partners”, were directly involved in the conversion work and could reduce their deposit by committing a set number of working hours on site. That direct involvement was highlighted by judges as enabling the scheme to better reflect local needs.
- Site: St William’s Church and presbytery, Ince Green Lane, Wigan
- Outcome: 27 affordable homes
- Partners: Housing People, Building Communities; Prima Group
- Awards: RICS Awards North West — Project of the Year and Community Benefit Project
“These awards shine a spotlight on the most inspiring people, projects and innovations shaping the built and natural environment, creating a powerful platform that elevates the profile of chartered surveying and celebrates its impact on communities nationwide,”
— Kerry Gibbs, RICS UK Awards chairman.
Regional recognition and next steps
The St William’s Project competed against developments from across the North West at the regional ceremony. Winning projects from each region will progress to the RICS UK grand final on Thursday 22 October. The RICS Awards programme attracted more than 300 entries across the 12 regions this year, underlining the scale of innovation in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure.
Judges commended the scheme’s teamwork, its impact for local people and the imaginative reuse of a building that had become defunct. For Wigan the award represents both a conservation success and a community-led response to housing need, turning a deteriorating religious landmark into a residential asset.
Local consequences and wider significance
For residents of Ince and the wider Wigan borough, the project offers affordable housing options and demonstrates a model of delivering homes that blends charitable partnership, social housing expertise and direct resident participation. The approach also points to a route for other towns and neighbourhoods facing empty or vandalised historic buildings.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Site | St William’s Church and presbytery, Ince Green Lane |
| Homes created | 27 affordable homes |
| Key partners | Housing People, Building Communities; Prima Group |
| Awards | RICS North West — Project of the Year; Community Benefit Project |
The recognition at the RICS ceremony highlights the potential for sensitive redevelopment to meet housing needs while preserving local character. It also reinforces the value of early resident engagement: by making future homeowners part of the build, the St William’s Project aimed to ensure the finished homes met the priorities of those who would live there.
As the development prepares to represent the North West at the national stage in October, local stakeholders will be watching to see whether this Wigan conversion can add a UK-level prize to its list of achievements.
