A GRADE II listed church which has been converted into a business and community hub is bidding to land a top national award at the ‘Oscars’ of the property world.

All Souls Church in Astley Street, swept the board at May’s Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors awards and is now bidding for national recognition.

The converted church will go up against other regional winners at the RICS Awards grand final event in London on October 16.

All Souls will compete in the same three categories it won at the RICS North West Awards —building conservation, community benefit and design through innovation — and also has the chance to gain the national Project of the Year title.

The project to conserve and regenerate All Souls has transformed a redundant Victorian Grade II listed church building — which had become subject to acts of vandalism and theft — in to a valued business and ‘space age’ community hub.

The multi-million pound scheme now offers contemporary community facilities including modern workspace, business units, a café and state-of-the-art conference facilities.

Bolton College also works in partnership with the centre to deliver a range of adult learning courses.

David Tuffin, Judging Chairman, RICS Awards said: “With such a high calibre of entries from across the UK, the judges have a tough task to select the category winners, let alone the Project of the Year.

“This is testament to the quality of projects that have reached this final stage of the RICS Awards; it is great to see the positive impact that these schemes are having on local and wider communities.”

This year's Grand Final will take place at The Dorchester Hotel, London and will be hosted by well-known broadcaster and journalist, Sian Williams.

For further details on the RICS Awards Grand Final or to book to attend, visit www.rics.org/awards