Historic Church Hall To Be Converted Into Four-Bedroom Home

A historic Isle of Wight church hall will be converted into a four-bedroom house.

Planners have accepted Mr Hookey of the Diocese of Portsmouth’s application to convert the church hall attached to the Parish Church of St Saviour-on-the-Cliff on Queen’s Road, Shanklin.

The Grade II listed hall is in need of ‘urgent repairs’ and is included within Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, according to a statement prepared by Planning and Development Hub (IW) Ltd.

Mr Hookey’s application also includes the removal of the hall’s flat roofed front extension which was built in the 1970s.

Planning and Development Hub said:

“The Church is a Grade II listed building, with the hall currently recognised as being in need of urgent repairs; it is included within Historic England’s Heritage At Risk Register but unfortunately, without the necessary funds available, these works cannot be undertaken quite simply as there is not the financial means to do so.

“This proposal aims to secure a residential planning permission for a currently unusable asset which following planning permission would be sold allowing the necessary works to the church hall itself to be carried out, but also generating funds that can be spent elsewhere on necessary repairs, renovations and upgrades as desperately needed by the church.”

County Hall’s decision report says:

“Officers are satisfied that the building is no longer required for a community use and, the significance of the listed building and the necessity for extensive repairs to its fabric is considered to provide a significant public benefit.

“The proposed demolition of an unsympathetic extension would reinstate the original frontage of the building, and the proposed use would secure the building in good repair.”