£1.7 million Telford Minster is open at last after pandemic delays

The new 350-seater church development, backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, has been created at a cost of £1.7 million inside Southwater’s Meeting Point House.

Vicar Rev Matt Beer said: "We have just completed the build. We’ve been in seven weeks."

The church centre had been due to open two years ago but this was delayed by the pandemic crisis and other issues.

There is already a congregation in place taken from worshippers from the former Springfields congregation which met in rooms at the premises.

Preparations are being made for Easter services followed by the official opening on May 6.

The new church centre will have a pioneering focus and is being set up to cater for the borough's growing population and to tackle social changes.

It was created from warehouse space along with an extension features a contemporary auditorium.

Mr Beer said the project was part of a project to pioneer a new model where it will look to set up congregations in homes, coffee shops and at mother and toddler groups.

There were also plans to set up congregations in up to ten areas including Sutton Hill, Oakengates and Lawley.

A minster is traditionally not a parish church, but a large city centre church, tasked to be outward looking in approach.