Planning protects "character" of King's Barn

Tuesday 08 September 2020

The Development & Planning Authority has refused permission to demolish an old mission church in Castel, on the grounds that the building makes a "positive contribution to the character of the area".

The former Kings Barn Mission, on Rue De Gele, was a functioning church for over a century until its closure in 2018.

Last year, permission was granted to turn the building into a residential dwelling, with some small alterations to the fenestration.

Planning said the permission “went to some lengths to retain existing features of the building, and to ensure alterations or replacements were sympathetic to the character and appearance".

However, later plans that would have completely replaced the windows and roof, were rejected to avoid “removing materials and their detail, and replacing them with homogenising materials that lack detailing".

The most recent application proposed to demolish the building entirely and erect an air source heat pump.

Pictured: The former King's Barn Mission is notable for its corrugated iron roof.

The pump would have been housed inside a new building that Planning describes as having “no readily appreciable architectural quality". The bungalow-style design was not considered to provide any character to the area.

While the building is not protected, Planning has taken steps to preserve its current style because it is “notable in its setting as its decorative gable and corrugated cladding is prominent on a bend in the road".

The original plans, which were approved, must be acted on before August 2022 – three years after permission has been granted.

Pictured top: The former King's Barn Mission.