Brief Description

FOR CHURCH / COMMUNITY USE ONLY (NOT FOR RESIDENTIAL USE). A prominent town centre church building suitable for a variety of ecclesiastical/educational/community uses subject to planning and other consents. The Church is a prominent structure, situated at the junction of Broadway and West View at the southern end of Broadway Gardens; the community and civic focus of the town of Letchworth. Arranged around Broadway Gardens are a number of civic and community buildings, including the Town Hall, the Library and the former Grammar School. The property is within some 600 metres of the mainline railway station.The Church was built in the mid-1960s and designed by Laurence King, an architect known for his work in post-war church design. The building is decagonal in plan, with a central glazed lantern, topped by a short spire. It is built of brick around a steel and concrete framed structure. The roof is of copper sheeting. The Church building has been unused for some years and closed on safety grounds. Many of the Church’s original interior features of interest remain in situ but the property is in need of repair and upgrading.The Parish Hall which adjoins the Church site was constructed in circa 1977, and was designed by the same architect. This is also a brick building, but is only single storey. The Parish Hall’s electricity supply is within the Church. The Parish Hall is closed to activities.Between the Church and Parish Hall is a tarmacadam parking area with space to park about 12 vehicles. Vehicular access is taken from Broadway.The overall size of the site, excluding the Parish Hall and car park and much of the frontage to Broadway Gardens, which falls outside the registered title, is some 0.176 hectare / 0.434 acre. Including the Parish Hall and car park the combined sites extend to some 0.308 hectare / 0.76 acre or thereabouts. On the attached plan the Church is shown edged red, the parking area edged orange and the Parish Hall edged blue.

Main Description

Planning policy is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the ‘saved’ policies of the ‘North Herts District Local Plan with Alterations No.2’ of April 1996. The emerging new local plan will increasingly inform planning policy and decisions.

The site is in the Letchworth Conservation Area. The Church is not listed, but is mentioned on the Herts Historic Environment Record (HHER), so is likely to be considered to be an undesignated heritage asset.

The 1996 Local Plan Proposals Map has no other site-specific allocations shown for this site. The Church and Parish Hall are shown as being immediately adjoining, but outside, the ‘Town Centre Inset’ boundary. The adopted Plan document is in the process of being replaced with the ‘North Herts Local Plan 2011-2031’. In the emerging document the ‘Policies Map’ has widened the scope of the Town Centre boundary to include the Church and Parish Hall, but there are still no site-specific proposals, or allocations, affecting the land.

Since 1st September 2020 places of worship and community halls have fallen into different use classes for the purposes of town planning legislation. While the Church and ancillary Hall fall within Class F1 of the Use Classes order, alternative community uses are likely to require a change of use permission

National and local planning policies seek to retain existing community uses. There is a general presumption “against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community’s ability to meet its day-to-day needs”.

Demolition of the Church would be viewed as regrettable by the Council’s Conservation Officer and the Letchworth Heritage Foundation. Accordingly, an appropriate use is sought for the present building: such use may or may not include the Parish Hall and parking area.

Church
Two porch entrances, Church, Lady Chapel, Rear Lobby, Vestry, Meeting Room, Kitchenette, WCs, Stores.

Parish Hall
Lobby, Office, Hall, Kitchenette, WCs

Sale
Proposals are sought for the Church site as edged red on the plan. Consideration may be given to the sale of the land edged green and edged blue, in addition to the Church site, dependent upon the proposed use.

Initial expressions of interest are invited. The property will be offered for sale by private treaty, on a subject to contract basis.

A closing date for receipt of offers will be set in due course. The Seller will not be obliged to accept the highest or any offer submitted.

Preference will be given to unconditional offers. Should prospective buyers wish to submit a subject to planning offer this will need to be supported with full details of the proposed use and sketch proposals if appropriate indicating such use.

The sale will be made subject to The Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 under which the Diocese of St Albans will make a recommendation for the freehold or leasehold sale of the closed church building and its site to the Church Commissioners, who will issue a legal document called a draft Scheme for public consultation. If there are objections to the draft Scheme, these will be considered by the Commissioners’ Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee who will decide whether the proposal can go ahead.

The sale will be made subject to covenants to include (but not necessarily being limited to) the following:
•Not to extend or alter the property externally other than in accordance with plans previously approved in writing by the Sellers
•Not to use the property for any illegal or immoral purpose or any purpose that is offensive to the principles and practice of the Christian faith.

Viewing

Please contact us on 0800 023 5231 if you wish to arrange a viewing appointment for this property, or require further information.

Disclaimer

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