Vicar's plea to convert church hall into home

A vicar has urged the council to approve the conversion of a church hall into a home

A vicar has urged North Yorkshire Council to approve a planning application to allow a church hall to be converted into a home.

In a letter, the Reverend Julie Clarkson said the conversion of St Alkelda's Church parish rooms, in Giggleswick, would pave the way for a sale.

She said this would raise much-needed funds for the church, which was built in 1612.

According to Ms Clarkson's letter, attempts to sell the building for community use had failed to attract any interest.

Ms Clarkson, vicar of Settle, Giggleswick and Rathmell with Wigglesworth, said the number of groups wanting to hire the parish rooms for meetings had fallen, with just Giggleswick Parish Council and a local Brownies group using it until recently.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the vicar had said the church now generated no rental income from the parish rooms and they had become a "drain on resources".

The parish rooms had previously been put on the market for community use at an asking price of £225,000

She added: "Sadly due to under use and a lack of investment, the condition of the parish rooms is deteriorating and is badly in need of attention and maintenance, neither of which the church in Giggleswick can afford.

"St Alkelda’s church itself, being a Grade I listed building, is very much dependent on the sale of the parish rooms in order to help maintain it and to further its work and ministry in the community."

The church had put the parish rooms on the market for community use at an asking price of £225,000 but there were no takers.

A previous bid to convert the parish rooms into a home was refused by the council.

This was due to the proposed loss of an entrance door to the early 17th Century part of the building.

However, this door is being retained in the new application.

North Yorkshire Council will decide on the plans at a later date.

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