New church centre approved to replace former shops in Whitchurch
The conversion of two vacant town centre shops into a new church hub has been given the green light.
The Beacon Church in Whitchurch intends to create a new base at the old Store Twenty One and Argos premises at 5 Watergate Street, and the plans submitted to Shropshire Council just last month have been swiftly approved.
There were 12 letters of support from members of the public to the application and no objections.
A report by planning officer Richard Denison says: “The proposed church and community use responds to the needs of the local community, is an appropriate use within the town centre area will help to support the vitality and viability of the centre.”
Before the pandemic, Sunday morning services were held at Whitchurch Civic Centre with other meetings taking place at the church’s office in St John’s Street.
As well as worship, the church wants to run its groups for children, youths and older adults from the new hub along with a host of other activities and services.
There are plans to run a repair centre, toy library, clothes bank, shower and laundry facilities for the homeless, cooking club, the Marriage Course, the Alpha Course, Christians Against Poverty and Jacob’s Purse.
A statement prepared by planning consultant Nigel Thorns on behalf of the church said the hub could also house other projects in the future, such as a food bank, street pastors, refugee support, addiction support, befriending and youth and older people’s outreach services.
Mr Thorns said the building, thought to have been constructed in the 1970s, was in Whitchurch Conservation area but had “no architectural merit”, and the shop fronts on the pedestrianised Bullring were run down.
The planning officer supported this view, saying in the report: “The layout provides a modern functional building which meets the needs of the end user.
“The conversion is wholly within the original fabric of the building and so the scale of the scheme sits comfortably within the existing building.
“There are very limited alterations to the external appearance of the building, although the external works associated with the shop fronts make a positive contribution to the street scene and will therefore the project will have a positive impact upon the street scene and the wider conservation area.”
