Couple pray that council allows Warsop church to be turned into family home
A couple are praying that a church in Warsop, which they bought at auction, will win the council’s consent to be converted into a family home.
Charles McCarthy and his wife, who live in Thornbury, south Gloucestershire, fought off fierce competition to buy the former Bethel Church building at Carter Lane on the edge of the village of Church Warsop.
There were 59 bids in total at the online auction in April, with the hammer finally coming down on the McCarthys’ offer of £203,000, which was £43,000 higher than the original guide price.
Now the couple have submitted a planning application to Mansfield District Council to turn the property into a modern, three-bedroom home with extensions at the side and back. Two small outbuildings, which have fallen into disrepair, would be demolished.
The building sits on a site spanning 1,851 square metres, with a large rear garden and parking at the front for at least ten cars.
A planning statement, compiled by the McCarthys’ agent, Geoff Cross Architectural Services, of Forest Town, says it was originally constructed as a place of worship for the Salvation Army.
It was subsequently taken over by the Bethel Church and, more recently, by the Lifespring Church. But Lifespring has another church at New Ollerton, so this building became “superfluous to its needs”.
Geoff Cross says the proposal is to create a home with an open-plan kitchen and lounge area, as well as three bedrooms, each with access to an en suite bathroom.
"The conversion would have very little effect on the impact of the existing building as the front would remain unchanged,” says the statement.
"The proposed extensions would not be visible from Carter Lane, and the conversion would require very few materials, compared to a new-build house, therefore limiting significantly the environmental impact.”
The former church attracted so much interest at auction because it was described as “offering immense potential for residential, commercial or community-based ventures”.
It was “close to shops, schools and transport links to Mansfield and beyond”, and provided “easy access to the surrounding countryside, with open fields offering picturesque views, creating a serene and inspiring setting”.
Its listing went on: “Whether you’re seeking a unique conversion project, business premises or a redevelopment opportunity, this former church offers a wealth of possibilities in a desirable and well-connected location.”
The council’s planning officers are currently considering the McCarthys’ plan and have set a deadline date of Monday, August 25 to make a decision or recommendation.