Two-storey church hall extension plan for Penwortham's 15th century St Mary's Church

St Mary’s Church in Church Avenue, Penwortham, dates back to the 15th century and houses the remains of Penwortham Castle - a Scheduled Ancient Monument - in its grounds.

In 2016 it was announced that it’s dipidated 1960s church hall in Cop Lane would be flatted to make way for housing, and the money ploughed into the main church building, where ‘pods’ would be built to accommodate community groups.

The Cop Lane site is now a retirement complex, and plans for a replacement had gone quiet - until now. Vicar Chris Nelson has now made an application to build an extension to the existing 1950s Parish Rooms in the north west corner of the church, to create a new church hall with ancillary accommodation on two levels with associated access, toilets and kitchen.

What would it be like?

The extension would increase the Parish Room size by 130sqm over two levels from 150 sqm to 280 sqm. Agent Steve Fish states that the proposal “seeks to provide a modest extension in the only available areas of the church avoiding all medieval and Victorian parts of the building”. He states that the development has been “designed to reflect the existing 1950's building design and be sympathetic to the main church buildings”.

The layout of the extension is over two storeys but only one storey is visible from the church entry level. This is because the site slopes steeply and there is a level difference of approximately 2.7m from the west entrance to the church, to the existing rear plantroom entry to the 1950's building on the north elevation.

“Sympathetic”

It is proposed that the extension would have a traditional duo-pitch roof with natural slate, there would be bronze/aluminium windows and doors, gutters and downpipes, stonework to match existing elevations, Ashlar stone surrounds to all windows with stone mullions and inncreased glazing and glazed entrance doors to the existing 1950's extension south elevation.

To facilitate the extension an existing mature tree is to be removed. The Local Authority has been consulted and agreed to this proposal. The extension retains all perimeter footpaths and does not affect any graves or their proximity. The car parking provision is retained as existing - 14 spaces in Church Avenue.

The agent states: “The proposed development is two storeys high and has very little/ no impact on the south/ entrance elevation to the church. The design of the development seeks to be sympathetic to the existing church building and conservation area setting of the church grounds.”

A decison will be made by South Ribble’s planning chiefs in coming weeks.