Apartments plan for former Methodist church

A former church could be turned into seven new homes under plans submitted to Kirklees Council.

The Methodist church on Carr Lane in Slaithwaite closed down last year and developers have applied to demolish part of it to create six apartments and a house.

The chapel was built between 1870 and 1871, with an extension to create a Sunday school added in the 1920s.

According to plans submitted by Noord Developments Ltd, the scheme would secure the future of "a significant heritage asset within Slaithwaite town centre".

The building is not listed, but it does sit within the Slaithwaite Conservation Area, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Under the plans, the first floor of the main chapel would be lowered and an extra floor inserted above.

The rear extension, which was added to the building later, would be demolished.

The developer said there would be "minimal interventions", but existing windows would be replaced, stairs taken out and replaced, and pews, raised platforms and the organ removed from the first floor.

In its application to be considered by Kirklees Council, the developer said: "The proposals to convert the church to residential use will secure the long-term future of the building.

"The proposed area of demolition to enable the scheme is considered to have a primarily neutral, or less than substantial, heritage impact and will allow for seven new homes to be located at the heart of Slaithwaite."

The council is expected to make a decision on the planning application by 1 August.

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