States of Guernsey buys church for £1m to expand school

Delisles Methodist Church will be redeveloped as part of the islands new model for Secondary education

A Methodist church in Guernsey has been bought by the government for £1m to expand a school.

The building and land of Delisles Methodist Church will increase the area of Les Beaucamps High School by almost 3,000 sq metres (32,000 sq feet).

The acquisition is part of the plan for Les Beaucamps to become one of two campuses of Lisia school by 2021.

The money was included in the budget approved by the government for the new model in September.

Guernsey's Committee for Education, Sport and Culture has not yet decided what the church building will be used for.

Some of the potential uses are a centre providing health and care services, a community arts venue, or a sport and fitness centre.

Les Beaucamps will be renamed De Saumarez College as part of the changes

The committee also said it was possible the church could be sold to "offset other development costs on the site", but this was unlikely.

The land surrounding the church will be used to increase parking around the school.

Education Committee President Matt Fallazie described the purchase as an "important step forward".