New £1 million pound church planned for Oswestry
Plans for a new £1 million church building in the centre of Oswestry have been revealed.
Hope Church, which is currently in Laburnum Drive, wants to move to a new site in English Walls, next to Central car park.
The current building is more than 50 years old and needs an upgrade.
Pastor Derek Hughes said: "The church is a bit off the beaten track the the moment and we don't get anyone passing. Even when you speak to people from Oswestry, they don't quite know where it is. I
"It's a barrier at the moment and we want to be able to serve everyone from Oswestry and beyond.
"We want to become more visible in the town and what better place than right in the centre of Oswestry."
If the planning application is successful, the church will spend at least £1m clearing the space opposite Poundland and building a new community facility.
Mr Hughes added: "We've spoken to the town council and had conversations with Shropshire Council, and they have been pretty positive about it because it's something for the community.
"The land is by the public toilets and does need some work doing. At the moment there's a building there and the roof has come off it so we want to flatten those old structures and build something new.
"We really want to make a difference in Oswestry and relocating our building will really help us do that. This new facility will be a great asset for Oswestry.
In 2017, Hope Church expanded its community provision with the introduction of Osbless, a week of volunteering, and launched a new job and IT club in partnership with Foodbank.
Shropshire Council planning officers will consider the application.
