As we move into a new phase of the project, a new page has been created, with this post continuing to provide context for the journey so far.
Latest update: August 2026
The parish working group has been meeting with our architects and planning consultants to produce a new design for the parish centre, taking into account initial advice from the local authority. The constraints of a small site have proved challenging, but our architects have risen to this challenge and we are soon to unveil our new plans to the parish and our neighbours. There will be an open evening in the existing social centre on Monday 14th September, 6pm-8pm, as well as an opportunity to view the plans during Sunday coffee between the morning Masses on 13th and 20th September. Feedback from these meetings will help refine our planning application, which we hope to submit before the end of the month Meanwhile, we hope to complete the sale of St Peter’s very soon and hand over the site to its new owners, Romford Elim Pentecostal Church.
With a planning application underway, we will turn our attention to a new fundraising effort, to be launched in the Autumn.
To give you an idea what to expect when the plans are unveiled next month, here is a rendering of the front view (compare with the previous image below).
Previous update: February 2026
As plans for the new social centre begin to take shape, the sale process for our other site, St Peter’s Cranham, is now underway. Anticipating interest in this decision as it becomes more widely known, we have made a public statement which you can read here. From that post you can also access the property listing, for those interested in making an offer for the site.
Previous update: September 2025
The Diocesan Trustees have given us the go-ahead to move forward with our plans. We have now instructed a firm of architects to produce a design for the new building. After discussing initial ideas, which had been shared with the parish for feedback earlier in the summer, the architects have been working closely with our new building working party to develop an exciting new plan which we hope to share soon.
Fr Matthew has written a letter to the parish explaining the rational behind certain decisions already taken, and setting out the way forward.
You can make a one-off or recurring card donation to the building project at https://givealittle.co/c/building
(NB This is not the final design, which is subject to alteration to meet planning requirements)
Previously…
An open meeting took place on the afternoon of Sunday 22nd September 2024 to discuss the future of our parish and the resources that will equip us for our mission in this place. The presentation was recorded for the benefit of those unable to come, and the slides are available here along with a summary of the discussion.
In summary, we are hoping in due course to appoint a youth worker for the parish partnership, and to replace the Social Centre with a new building.
We hope that all parishioners can be part of the ongoing conversation and share in an exciting future for our parish, as we move into our second century as St Joseph’s parish.
Click here to read a summary of the discussion.
A further meeting was held on Sunday 26th January 2025. You can read a summary of this meeting here.
Here are the slides from the original presentation:
