The Wesley Camden
Encon Associates provided BREEAM consultancy for the refurbishment of a historic Methodist chapel in Camden into a 39-key hotel and place of worship. The heritage-led development successfully achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating, combining sustainability with the preservation of a significant historic building.
The project involved the conversion of a former Primitive Methodist Chapel, originally built in 1824 and later rebuilt in 1890, located within the Camden Town Conservation Area.
Due to declining congregation numbers and ongoing maintenance challenges, the building had fallen into disrepair and was at risk of significant structural deterioration.
The redevelopment aimed to secure the building’s long-term future by integrating it with The Wesley Hotel brand, ensuring both continued community use and commercial visibility.
Key Facts
Project type: Mixed-use refurbishment (church and hotel)
Building use: 39-key hotel with retained worship space
Outcome: BREEAM Excellent
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Client Manalo And White
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Location Camden, London
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Period 2018
BREEAM Consultancy
Encon Associates was appointed to provide BREEAM consultancy throughout the design and development stages, guiding the project team to ensure compliance with sustainability requirements.
This included:
- Advising on achieving mandatory BREEAM credits
- Supporting the integration of sustainability into heritage-led design
- Coordinating with the wider design and construction team
- Ensuring the project met its required rating
The project presented a complex challenge due to the need to retain historic features while delivering modern environmental performance.
Heritage-Led Sustainable Design
A key aspect of the scheme was the sensitive refurbishment of a historic structure within a conversion area. The design approach prioritised:
- Retention of original architectural features
- Adaptive reuse of existing building fabric
- Integration of sustainable materials and systems
- Preservation of the building’s cultural and community value
The project demonstrates how sustainability can be successfully delivered within the constraints of heritage buildings.
Environmental Performance
The completed development achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating, reflecting strong performance across energy, water, materials and overall environmental impact.
Key sustainability features included:
- Energy-efficient building systems and controls
- Water-saving emissions through all-electric design
- Reuse of materials and preservation of historic elements
- Biodiversity enhancements, including habitat features
Project Outcome
Encon Associates’ involvement supported the successful transformation of a historic chapel into a sustainable, mixed-use development that balances heritage, community use and environmental performance.
The Wesley Camden now stands as a strong example of how BREEAM can be applied to refurbishment projects, delivering long-term value while preserving important architectural and cultural assets.
Industry Champions for BREEAM. The Encon team always provide a first-class service. Glenn always goes above and beyond to truly support and advise on the BREEAM schemes with his specialist technical knowledge; it’s a joy to work with a proactive assessor that truly cares about the environmental impacts, it’s more than just a process for Glenn and the team. The wider team have a friendly, can do attitude who have expert knowledge in their specialist fields. Whether you require a full BREEAM service or individual support and advice or specialist surveys, they always provide a consistent, collaborative and supportive service, I would always choose to go to Encon for BREEAM Assessor requirements and BREEAM related services.
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