Calderdale Council: Brighouse church given OK for new entrance and repairs

A ramp and step approach, with adjusted access for vehicles and pedestrians, is planned at Central Methodist Church in Commercial Street, Brighouse.

Agent Stuart Beaumont applied to Calderdale Council for the listed building consent needed for the changes, which has been granted.

Other improvements which can now be made include re-roofing, refurbishment of roof dormers, and window and door repairs.

The planning statement submitted with the application said that, as well as by the almost 300 church members and supporters, a number of community groups use the church for their activities on a regular basis.

These include the church’s outreach services, a food bank, youth groups, after-school clubs and others ranging from old time dancing to walking and art clubs.

The food bank formed Hub 2 of the council’s Covid-19 strategy for three food banks in the borough.

Small differences to the site, which the permission allows, will physically better connect the church to the community, with a transaction in process for a small piece of council land that will also allow this, said the church in a statement.

The ramp and other changes will also make the church more accessible to disabled people, says the statement.

The changes will allow the site’s design to be flexible for multiple uses, it adds.

They are the culmination of much work by architects to achieve these goals affordably, the church also says in the statement.