A CHAPEL in the grounds of Bournemouth’s historic St Peter’s church is being restored for use by the community.

Its clergyman hopes the Resurrection Chapel could be used by business start-ups as well as for performances and exhibitions.

The chapel was built at the end of the First World War to honour the fallen and was designed by Sir Ninian Comper.

It was used for 20 years by the Unitarian Church and then by the Celtic Orthodox Church, but has fallen victim to the elements.

Town centre rector the Rev Ian Terry said: “In the days before undertakers had refrigerators, bodies would lie in the Resurrection Chapel which in the past has been a very cold place.

“There has been massive condensation and damp that has got into the structure.”

St Peter’s is at the beginning of a major redevelopment programme expected to take five to six years.

It borrowed £120,000 from the diocese for the work on the Resurrection Chapel.

“At that stage we are keen to recoup some of the funding we’ve used by renting out the chapel to a local organisation,” said Dr Terry.

“Any organisation that’s interested in thinking about renting it is welcome to get in touch with me.”

Its uses on weekdays could include functioning as office space for entrepreneurs, he said.

But he added: “Although we need to make it pay its way, we also want to embed it in the community.”

Bournemouth University is set to use the venue for exhibiting art and putting on musical performances, while it could also be used in conjunction with the catering school at Bournemouth College.

“Although we need to make it pay its way, we also want to embed it in the community,” said Dr Terry.

One of the church’s choristers, Neil Bichard, carried out compliancy wrok on the restoration before St Ann’s Gate Architects drew up the plans.

The chapel will have better heating, sound and lighting systems and a new water and drainage system. Asbestos will be removed and a toilet will be added.