Kingsley Hall, Dagenham

Founded in 1929 by the Lester sisters, Kingsley Hall pioneered church-based social care on the Becontree Estate. By the 2000s, the site, owned by the charity Livability, had deteriorated. In 2014, Chris Kapnisis was appointed to lead renewal, beginning with making the building a place of welcome for the whole community.

Chris, alongside Christian developer Alastair Watson, created a vision for KHCCC as a hub for wellbeing. The redevelopment was planned in three phases: expand the nursery and build keyworker flats; rebuild the church and community centre; and add affordable housing.

Watson developed a financial model allowing part of the site to deliver affordable housing while cross-subsidising the church rebuild, alongside significant fundraising.

Having finished the first phase in 2018, KHCCC, Livability, and Watson submitted a planning application to redevelop the eastern site into 36 residential homes. A model was used to bypass GLA grant restrictions, enabling all homes to be affordable. Shian Housing Association manages the flats, which are let at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD)’s Affordable Rent level. The new church and community centre opened in 2023, and the homes were completed in 2025.

Funding sources for the church and community facilities included £300k Community Infrastructure Levy grant from LBBD; £1.3M cross-subsidy from the affordable housing; £500k from the National Lottery; £550k from grant making trusts; £650k from off-site asset sales; £120k in gifts from the community; £630k from the Department for Education; £750k in loan finance from Charity Bank and a £1.5M grant from the GLA.

Driven by visionary leadership and strong partnerships, the project overcame rising costs and delays, especially caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a non-denominational church, KHCCC could act quickly and decisively, and the shared vision and values of the church and developer were key to the successful outcome.

Today, KHCCC offers 36 affordable homes, an expanded nursery, a vibrant café, community and worship spaces — all expressions of Christian mission. A new resident shared how she now feels not just housed, but truly part of a community and family.

Read the full story here.

For further information on KHCCC and the people involved, contact The Church Land Trust on theclt2021@gmail.com.