Victorian chapel threatened in new flats plan

Karbon Homes is seeking approval to demolish Prudhoe's 150-year-old Methodist chapel and build eight flats

Plans to demolish a Victorian Methodist chapel and replace it with flats have been met with criticism.

Last year, Karbon Homes announced proposals to build affordable homes at Prudhoe’s Ebenezer Chapel in West Wylam.

The housing provider had wanted to adapt the building to build five flats but said that is no longer financially viable.

Northumberland County Councillor Gordon Stewart said he been "inundated by many very sad, angry residents" and had demanded a meeting with Karbon Homes.

The chapel, built in 1875, closed in 2015 and plans to demolish it were revealed in the Prudhoe Community Partnership’s newsletter, the Partnership Echo.

It told readers the current structure was now unsafe and new plans would increase the number of flats being built to eight.

The new proposal is for eight flats at the site

Former town councillor and manager of the Miner’s Lamp café and community hub Russ Greig tried to buy the chapel last year.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the building held "many fond memories" and said "what price do we put on saving our local heritage if the willingness is there?”.

Hexham's Conservative MP, Guy Opperman, called on Karbon Homes to consider how Ebenezer Chapel had been "the heart of the local community for centuries".

Lea Smith, Head of Land and Partnerships at Karbon Homes, said a community consultation would take place "to explore alternative design options" and they would try to reuse as much of the existing building materials as possible.