The development project was inspired by Isaiah 58:12 - Your people will rebuild ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. 58:12 was established as a registered company and charity in 2003 and has been steadily working towards showing love to this part of Purley and bringing the vision into reality.

The Vision

Purley Baptist Church's vision to build a new church goes back to the 1990s. In 1997 the church desired not simply to replace its own facilities, but to make provision for the community and to bring about regeneration to the section of Purley town centre which the church is situated in.

The build programme consists of two phases.

Phase 1: Development of the South Site began in January 2021. Thornsett Group have engaged with Optivo Housing to build 106 affordable homes. PBC welcomed the development of affordable housing and as such has relinquished its freehold and withdrawn from this part of the development. The completion target is October 2022.

Phase 2: The development of the Island Site is where PBC is now focusing its efforts. Construction will commence in 2022 with completion planned for 2024.

The building developer, Thornsett Group was engaged by PBC in 2013, and later unveiled plans for Mosaic Place.

This is comprised of 106 residential units on the South Site and on the Island Site, 114 residential units together with a 3,452 sqm state of the art community and worship centre with retail space. This will be the home of PBC. Planning permission for this challenging development, was finally obtained in July 2020. 

Starting in 2002, PBC raised funds to buy significant properties in proximity to the church. These were consolidated to form two sites.

The Island Site on Banstead Road is where the current church building is situated, next door to the library and then stretching down to the Purley Cross gyratory. The South Site, is on the opposite side of Banstead Road and involved the purchase of two properties and then the owners of adjacent properties deciding to join the project.

Recent history has seen Purley transferred from Surrey to form part of the London Borough of Croydon.

Situated to the south of the borough, Purley town centre has undergone change, the most significant development being the arrival of Tesco and a new road layout. It has also experienced the high street challenges in common with many similar sized towns. Purley has been fighting to maintain its unique character amidst inevitable change.