A vacant church in Arnold is due to be converted into apartments after permission was granted by the borough council.

Cross Street Baptist Church will be redeveloped into nine flats after plans were submitted by 9 Property Group Ltd to Gedling Borough Council.

The plans, granted by the council on Thursday (February 13), also include another 14 apartments being built in a new four-storey building next to the revamped church, meaning there will be 23 new apartments in total.

The church was built in 1909, replacing a previous chapel that was built in 1825, but it closed in 2020.

A two-storey extension at the south of the church believed to have been attached to the previous chapel and acted as school rooms will be partly retained in plans, with the very east section to be demolished.

A report on the plans say the building has been vandalised, and several windows have been broken and damaged.

An environmental health officer says the applicant “will need to put measures in place to reduce the likelihood of trespassing during the construction phase”.

In the church conversion, there will be five duplex apartments, with three one-bed and two, two-beds, along with four single-storey apartments with one as a two-bed and the rest with one bedroom.

The single-storey flats will be on the ground floor, and the two-storey duplexes on the first floor.

Included in the work is new access at the first floor level and a new staircase leading to the walkway.

The new build block will include a private patio and garden area. No parking spaces will be provided as the site slopes downwards.

Three of the apartments come under ‘first homes’ and two are affordable rent.

Full report: https://westbridgfordwire.com/empty-church-to-be-converted-to-apartments/