Church to become more accessible as plans approved

St John's in Bierley is set to become more accessible to visitors with disabilities

Work has been approved to make an 18th-Century church more accessible to visitors with disabilities.

A planning application was submitted to Bradford Council seeking permission to make alterations to St John's in Bierley.

The council has green-lit the plans, which include levelling an entrance to allow easier wheelchair access.

Council conservation officer Jon Ackroyd said the work would "bring benefit as well as upholding the significance and quality of this important listed building".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the application said: “The church wishes to make improvements internally to improve level access for wheelchair users, along with other internal improvements such as a wheelchair accessible toilet and servery.”

Ackroyd noted St John's was originally built in the 1760s as an estate chapel to Bierley Hall and was the work of eminent architect John Carr.

He added: "St John’s is a beautiful church of considerable historic and architectural importance."

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