Planners say no to idea to demolish corrugated iron former church
A PLAN to demolish a former mission hall clad in corrugated iron has been rejected on the grounds that its decorative appearance makes a positive contribution to the area.
Mr and Mrs Chescoe had applied to demolish Kings Barn at Gele Road, Castel. There was already permission to convert the former mission hall into a residential dwelling, but that permission had gone to lengths to protect the appearance of the building.
The timber-framed 1908 structure has been vacant since 2018, after more than a century as a mission hall. The property was last sold for £250,000 in February.
The latest planning application was to demolish the building and erect a new one.
But the planners rejected the scheme on the grounds that the existing building makes a particular positive contribution to the character of the area.
‘Although not protected, and constructed of low quality materials, it is a decorative and authentic timber frame building which is notable in its setting as its decorative gable and corrugated cladding is prominent on a bend in the road,’ the planning report states.
‘The previous permission went to some lengths to retain existing features of the building, including the corrugated cladding to the walls and the timber fenestration which includes decorative detailing.
‘In this context, the proposed replacement building would not make an equal or enhanced contribution to the character of the area.
‘The proposed replacement building possesses no readily appreciable architectural quality, appearing as a very basic bungalow-style design, relieved only by areas of timber cladding to sections of the front (west) and side (south) elevation walls and two arched gable windows (to front and rear) which hint at the style of the existing.’
