MPCP(20)19 Church Commissioners Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee Closed Church of Crawshawbooth St John (Diocese of Manchester) Representations against draft Pastoral (Church Buildings Disposal) Scheme Note by Harvey Howlett Summary (i) The Committee is invited to consider six representations concerning a draft Pastoral (Church Buildings Disposal) Scheme (four against, one in favour and a letter of comment) providing for the sale of the closed church building of Crawshawbooth St John and the annexed land in the Diocese of Manchester for residential use and for purposes ancillary thereto. The specific proposal is to provide residential accommodation for ex-armed forces personnel. (ii) The representors against objected to the proposed plans due to concerns about the impact of the proposed development on this small village, the overlooking of neighbouring properties and the specific implications of housing ex-services personnel and the likely impact on the village as a whole. In addition, one representor objected to the proposals whilst an ongoing dispute with the Diocese remained unresolved. (iii) The representor in favour, whilst looking to see more detailed plans, supported the use as an extremely positive development that would not only save and restore an important and historic building but also benefit the local community. (iv) The letter of comment, from the nearest neighbour to the churchyard, whilst not objecting to the Scheme raised questions about the proposed design and the impact on their own property. (v) The Bishop of Manchester responded to say that the Diocese wishes for the Scheme to proceed as drafted. He referred to the very difficult search for an alternative use for the building and argued that this may be the final opportunity to save this important heritage asset. He believed that the proposals made compassionate provision for certain members of society who were currently disadvantaged and said that particular questions of access and impact on the local community would be fully tested in any application for planning Permission and Listed Building Consent. 1 (vi) The case has been examined by the Committee’s case sifting representatives who agreed that the case should be considered on the papers alone. (vii) In considering the representations, the Committee will need to have regard to the legislative requirement as to the suitability of what is being proposed. If the Committee considers the proposed use to be suitable in principle, it is still possible that it might be unsuitable in the particular circumstances of this building because of its location or other factors relating to achievability and the potential impact of the use. (viii) The main issues to be considered are therefore, as follows: • is the proposed residential use of the building a “suitable” use within the meaning of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011? • are the concerns expressed in the representation against the draft Scheme of such substance and weight that the proposed use is to be considered unsuitable for the building in this location? • will the proposals, taken as a whole, support the furtherance of the mission of the Church of England? Recommendation The Committee is invited to consider the representations and the issues set out in this report and, in the light of these, whether the draft Scheme should proceed. 2 Introduction 1. The Committee is invited to consider six representations concerning a draft Pastoral (Church Buildings Disposal) Scheme (four against, one in favour and a letter of comment) providing for the sale of the closed church building of Crawshawbooth St John and the annexed land in the Diocese of Manchester for residential use and for purposes ancillary thereto. 2. St John’s, a large and impressive Grade II* listed stone church in a Gothic Perpendicular style, was built in 1890-92, on a site donated by a local wealth business owner, to designs by H J Austin of Paley, Austin and Paley. It stands on a green and leafy steep hill raised above the Burnley Road (A682) to the south west of the small village of Crawshawbooth, a linear settlement extending along the A682 between Burnley and Rawtenstall on the edge of the Pennine Hills. In the nineteenth century the village had prospered in the industrial boom with wool and cotton mills along the river. St John’s lies just beyond an area identified as being at risk of flooding. A housing development sits to the North but farm and moor land extend beyond the immediate line of development either side of the A682. 3. When in leaf, trees obscure the church from the road, though its tower and pinnacles rise above the tree line. The building was known locally as the ‘Cathedral of the Valley’ in view of its considerable landscape presence and architectural quality. The extensive and lofty interior is well-lit, adding to the sense of space, with the nave arcades being carried on moulded arches which are supported on alternately round and octagonal columns. Above is an arch-braced double-collared timber roof structure. There is a Garden of Remembrance, for the interment of ashes, near the south-west wall of the church, as well as one burial in the private burial ground situated on the south-west side of the large churchyard. It is proposed that rights of access will be preserved for people wishing to visit these areas. 4. The church was closed for regular public worship in February 2012, following a decline in the size of the congregation and a failure to attract additional community uses for the building. Closure was also necessary because of the increasing costs of repair, with the deteriorating condition of the church made significantly worse by the theft of lead from the roof in 2011. 5. During a lengthy marketing campaign, the cost of repairing the building has impacted on the viability of various possible use proposals being explored. A draft scheme for use as a renewable energy training centre was published in February 2014 but was not taken forward. The building has been seen as a priority for the ‘Find a Use Manchester’ project1 looking to secure the future of a number of long- standing closed church buildings. The prospective purchasers emerged during the extended period of renewed marketing and are now developing their proposals for the building to be converted to provide accommodation for veterans and ex-armed 1 The Commissioners and Historic England are jointly funding a three year post, which sits in the Churches Conservation Trust’s Regeneration Team, focussed on securing a future for a number of problematic listed closed churches in the North West. 3 forces personnel. The proposed residential accommodation would make use of the existing vehicular and pedestrian access from Burnley Road. 6. The Commissioners’ former statutory advisor, the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches, indicated in its early advice that St John’s is a church of high overall significance and advised that it be preserved by conversion to a suitable alternative use (its large volume of interior space seen as offering some scope for alteration). 7. The conservation and re-use of this important heritage asset is also a priority for both Rossendale Borough Council and Historic England, in line with local and national planning policies. The building has been on Historic England’s Buildings at Risk Register for several years. 8. Attached are: Annex A Background to the case; Annex B The initial advice report on the building from the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches: the Critical Information Summary and Informed Change Assessment; Annex C A copy of the draft Scheme and site plan and accompanying Explanatory Note; Annex D A copy of the letter referring the representations to the Bishop together with a copy of his reply; Annex E A copy of the notes prepared by the prospective purchaser and circulated at the drop-in during the consultation period; Annex R A copy of the representations; and Annex S Supplementary comments by the representors (to follow). Representations Received 9. Following the publication of the draft Scheme providing for the sale of this closed church building and the annexed land for residential use and for purposes ancillary thereto, we received six representations (four against, one in favour and one letter of comment) regarding the draft Scheme. The Representations are set out in Annex R. 10. The representations against came from Mr T Harden, Sarah Shepherd, Caroline Hudson and Keith Ingley; the representation in favour came from Allen Thompson; and the letter of comment from Mrs Judith and Mr Kenneth Allison. Representations Against 11. Mr Harden and Sarah Shepherd both raise concerns about the suitability of the proposed use in the small village of Crawshawbooth which lacks many facilities, including medical support, and its remoteness in relation to employment opportunities. They are also concerned that there would not be any full time support staff on site and that some residents would potentially have psychological problems and be in need of specialist care. 4 12. Sarah Shepherd also raises particular concerns for her own and her child’s safety, given the proximity of her home to the church, which she indicates is in part overlooked by the church. She also refers to her previous experience of encountering some ex-service men within the prison system and raises concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of local residents and the impact this could have on the village. She also raises concern about the ex-servicemen themselves, including the treatment of any suffering with PTSD being removed to far flung locations. 13. Caroline Hudson raises similar concerns in a set of questions and lodges an objection to the scheme until adequate further information has been provided. 14.