Plans to turn Cambridge church tower into climbing facility

The ground floor of the church has already been converted into an auditorium

Plans have been unveiled to create a climbing facility within a church tower.

Pembroke College, Cambridge wants to install 10m (32.8 ft) climbing walls within the tower of the former Emmanuel United Reformed Church.

The ground floor of the Grade II listed building has already been converted into an auditorium.

The college said it was a "unique opportunity to repurpose the 1874 James Cubitt tower".

The auditorium space is intended for lectures, performances and events, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Professional climbers would rate the 10m walls a "medium to difficult" climb

In planning documents submitted to Cambridge City Council, the college said: "The existing tower provides a rare opportunity within the city centre to utilise an existing tall space.

"The proposed climbing wall would reactivate the existing tower space and provide a unique opportunity to repurpose the 1874 James Cubitt tower.

"Students and fellows will be awarded the rare views from the top of the tower staircase across Cambridge and the opportunity to experience the lofty height of the existing tower."

Structural and architectural interventions would "be respectful" of the existing tower and only registered users would be allowed to use the wall, the college said.

Proposed safety measures have also been set out by the college, including a panic button for emergencies.