The church had recently ceased being used for worship and RCC were approached to advise on the planning options for the building. It was clear that residential use was going to be the most viable option for the building but local and national planning policies can be very restrictive where such community buildings are being 'lost'. A pre-application submission was therefore made to establish the principle of the proposal without the need to demonstrate that continued community use wasn't possible. The response was positive on the issue of residential re-use but the council advised that they considered the building to be a 'non-designated heritage asset' and raised an number of detailed issues that would have to be assessed and dealt with at the full planning application stage.
We therefore brought on board an architect and heritage consultant to assist with the proposal and it became clear that, with the restrictions of the site the building lent itself to a two unit conversion and the extracts above show the proposed ground and first floor drawings.
There were issued raised by neighbours and the planning officer that needed to be addressed but full permission has now been granted without too much delay.
