Momentum builds in campaign to save church

Rose Harland • Published 2 Oct 2008 07:00 0 Comments

A BUILDING conservation group and an MP have joined the campaign to save St Saviour's church from redevelopment.

Leaders of the Elim Pentecostal church in Coley say it is necessary to knock down the Victorian red brick building to make way for a community centre, a move opposed by many of its neighbours.

But campaign group Save Britain's Heritage has now stepped into the row. In a letter to the borough council planning department, president Marcus Binney said: "This is not only an impressive landmark but the focal point of an interesting and attractive group of historic red brick buildings. We believe that there may be considerable archeological interest in the site arising out of the chalk mines, the area's brick-making history and the Coley brick kiln which once existed here.

"In our view the scale of the redevelopment proposed will upset the peaceful and pleasant residential atmosphere of the neighbourhood. It also goes against sustainable principles to demolish such a substantially built structure."

The group wants the church, and nearby Field Road, Wolseley Street and Coley Place down to Berkeley Avenue, to be declared a conservation area. Reading West MP Martin Salter wants planning officers to block the redevelopment. He said: "This demolition would include removing the entire Victorian part of the church, which I believe is of architectural value and has been at the heart of the Coley community for well over a century. Local residents are firmly against the construction of a modern replacement to St Saviour's Church and although they recognise that the current church services are well attended at the weekends, they are also concerned that a larger church building with more church attendees would create further traffic and parking problems."

A 350-name protest petition has been gathered and Church Terrace resident Cathryn Mackinlay, 31, said: "I think demolishing the church would ruin the feeling of this old area. Lots of people decided to move here because of it."

The church says the redevelopment is vital to accommodate more children's and community work.

Senior church leader Rev Billy Fenning said: "We appreciate the iconic nature of the building and want to make use of some of that in our new building. For example, we want to maintain a large proportion of the stained glass. Anyone who has seen our plans will know that we are looking to build a high quality church facility in place of what is already there."

The plans are due to go before planners on November 5. The deadline for comments has now passed, but residents can contact MP Martin Salter on 954 6782 or email salterm@parliament.uk

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 02 Oct 08

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