Published: Thursday, 6th November, 2008 6:00am

Church may get listed after plan re-think

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CONTROVERSIAL plans to replace a Victorian church with a modern building have hit a brick wall.

St Saviour's Christian Centre in Coley hoped to knock down the red brick building, but it has temporarily shelved the idea after planning officers advised councillors to turn them down.

Reading Borough Council is now applying to English Heritage for the building to be listed. Senior pastor, the Rev Billy Fenning, said: "We are really rethinking the whole project. We just hope to talk to the community and some of the people with objections and have a better period of consultation. We are hoping to come up with some plans which will be acceptable to the council, the community and ourselves."

The Elim Pentecostal Church applied for planning permission to replace the old building with a two-storey centre that would include a nursery, book shop, multi-purpose hall, cafeteria and worship area.

But borough planning officers reported "the existing original building is of considerable architectural interest and charm" and criticised the new plans for being of "reduced architectural quality."

They also echoed residents' concerns about increases in traffic and parking problems.

There was a 358-signature petition and 37 letters opposed to the plans, compared to one letter in support. There was also one letter neither in favour or opposed, as long as the church installed soundproofing to stop the residents being "stressed, unhappy and tormented."

Campaign groups Save Britain's Heritage and the Victorian Society also objected to the plans which, before the church backed down, were due to be considered by the planning applications committee meeting yesterday (Wednesday).

Cathryn Mackinlay, 31, of nearby Church Terrace, said: "We were pleased to hear they withdrew the application, but I'm expecting some alternative proposal at some point. I don't know what their plans are, but I don't think this will be the end of it. I think it's in everyone's interest if they do a proper consultation."

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