Sawkings Architects have secured planning approval for the conversion and sensitive extension of the locally listed Cane Hill Mental Asylum Chapel in Coulsdon, Croydon, following a committee hearing in early February.

The scheme carefully subdivides the chapel’s grand internal volumes across four storeys to deliver nine residential units of varied sizes, alongside a café and co-working spaces at ground floor level. The design prioritises the preservation of the existing chapel fabric, complemented by the introduction of contemporary materials that articulate a new chapter in the building’s history. Zinc dormer additions are proposed throughout, working in harmony with the chapel’s original slate roofing.

The project includes the restoration and enhancement of the existing historic fabric, ensuring the long-term conservation and longevity of the local landmark.