Holy Trinity Church set to be refused demolition … again
An application to demolish the “iconic” Holy Trinity Church in Twydall will be heard at tonight’s Planning Committee meeting – with a recommendation by officers to refuse the application.
It will be the second time the 1960s church building will come under discussion in as many consecutive meetings of the Planning Committee (formerly the Development Control Committee).
It will also be the second time a refusal has been recommended, with officers, who had the authority to make a decision themselves, yet were faced with a large number of representations contradicting their recommendation, believing that to destroy the church would be to harm the character and appearance of the area.
Although the church community does not wish to lose the building either, senior members of the church staff have told AlanWCollins that it has now become simply unsustainable, and that something needs to be done to protect the church community.
Assuming the meeting is not “snowed off”, AlanWCollins will be there to report on the decision, and, regardless of the outcome, will be producing a full guide to the application in due course.
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2 Comments
I went to a christening there once back in the late 80′s, and I’ve drive npast it many many times.
Is it not now in use as a church? I guess not.
It would seem a shame to be demolishing it though. If it’s not in use as a church, can’t it be sold and put into use as something else? I know this has happened with churches in the past, and in Gillingham too.
Eyebee – Holy Trinity is still in occasional use as a church. However, because of spiralling costs (particularly heating) most services take place in the church hall and only the more “important” services take place in the church itself.
Indeed, I was at the midnight service on Christmas Eve – which took place in the church – and dutifully followed the advice to wrap up warm!
It is a shame that it has come to this – but there are honestly no other alternatives (which, I have been reassured by the church, have been explored, although I have not yet had the time to discover those alternatives in detail).
The simple fact is that the church can only be saved if there was a person, or company, willing to invest around ?1m in it initially (with further costs to be expected!).
The church found that company in the shape of developers, willing to build a new church/community centre and 23 dwellings – much-needed investment in Twydall.
Sadly, despite support, Medway Council seems unlikely to ever seriously consider the application, and the building is destined to sit idly in occasional use, with plenty of people admiring its “looks”, but not enough people caring about it enough to help to save it sustainably.