Building work finally begins at former Ebenezer Church
WORK to construct 17 new apartments at the former Ebenezer Church in Brock Road has begun, nearly 30 years after the last service was held there.
Contractor Pulse Group's first job was to put in new drains and add new foundations.
Company director Dan Maree said the general condition of the exterior of the building was good.
He said a mix of one- and two-bedroom flats will be built over three floors and estimated that the project will take 18 months to complete.
The building was purchased from the Methodist Church by Ebenezer Holdings in 2012 for £735,000.
The company obtained permission to create 12 apartments there in 2014, after permission was first given for eight in 2011.
Ebenezer was bought by JAJ Properties for £1,055,000 in July this year.
Most recently, on 2 August, Lovell, Ozanne and Partners’ plans – submitted on behalf of the previous owners – for 17 apartments were approved and it is these that are now being progressed.
The original Ebenezer Church was founded in Sausmarez Street in 1816.
The Brock Road Methodist Church opened on the current site on 10 October 1878.
The churches amalgamated on the Brock Road site and took the Ebenezer name in 1960, when the building was further altered.
The first proposals to demolish the building were made in April 1986, when future plans for the Methodist Circuit were discussed.
The last service at Ebenezer Methodist Church was held on 26 July 1993.
Afterwards, its congregation joined the former Salem Methodist Church in Vauvert to become the St Peter Port Methodist Church.
The Heritage Committee decided in April 1994 that the building should be listed.
In August 1995, the Methodist Circuit lodged an appeal against the listing but decided not to go to court.
The then Island Development Committee approved a change of use in principle in December 1995.
In July 2001, the church applied for IDC permission to redevelop the site into a new church, community centre and offices.
In 2009 permission was given to convert the church into eight apartments
Permission was given for outer buildings to be demolished and for 12 apartments to be created in 2014
In 2016 new owner Ebenezer Holdings was given permission to create two additional units of accommodation and build a car stacker enclosure.
