Jersey Church Proposes Demolition for New Community Hub

An application has been submitted by the vicar of a Jersey church, recognized for its Rene Lalique glasswork, to demolish the adjacent church hall, vicarage, and auxiliary structures, with the aim of establishing a new community center. This proposal for St Matthew’s Church, situated on St Aubin’s inner road, ensures the historically listed church building remains unaltered. Reverend Phil Warren’s application details the construction of a new two-story facility that would incorporate two one-bedroom apartments and a cafe. According to a document accompanying the planning submission, the existing community center faces “restrictions” due to its antiquated buildings, insufficient space, and inadequate resources and amenities. Mr Warren stated: “There is so much more that we could do in, and for, our growing community with a modern, accessible, disability-friendly and welcoming space where anyone and everyone can bring their families, children, neighbours and loved ones, and know there is someone for them and somewhere to go.” He further described the proposed center as a “vessel of hope” intended to guarantee a “positive and lasting future” for the church, which is recognized as a site of special interest. Mr Warren noted that the current center operates primarily with volunteer support, assisting approximately 150 individuals weekly through various community events and activities. Among the groups hosted are Dementia Jersey and Macmillan coffee mornings. He explained that the existing facilities’ constraints prevent them from accommodating certain prospective groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and toddler sessions. However, he projected a quadrupling of visitor numbers within two years following the project’s conclusion. Mr Warren mentioned that the vicarage and caretaker’s lodge date back to the 1800s, with annual maintenance costs reaching up to £20,000, and that disabled access is considered “insufficient”. According to Mr Warren, an architect’s consultation suggested that renovating the current structures would not be appropriate, and the proposed plan has received the “full backing” of the Dean of Jersey. The blueprints detail an auditorium, meeting rooms, a kitchen, in addition to incorporating air source heat pumps and solar panels. For updates, follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Story submissions can be sent to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.