A church in an spot of Cardiff has had to put up land for sale for growth. The Ely Baptist Church and community centre on Archer Road has structural issues and at the moment has a congregation of just 12 people today. The building has significant patches of damp and there are cracks running down all of the walls. The building has been there since 1927. So far the church has been unable to find the money for restoration work and has been not able to raise cash, consequently putting up church land for sale seemed like the best idea.
As a consequence of this the church’s land has now been sold,with the intention of placing flats on the land. On the leftover land the Cardiff church is planning on combining a community centre and church. The acting pastor Ian Thomas has confirmed that they can demolish the latest church building and then combine the new church with a community centre. He also confirmed that the rest of the land can go to tender to then become flats.
The planning permission is for a block of 18 one-bedroom flats and 4 two-bedroom flats. The block could be up to three storey’s high in places. The church is also wishing that the new development will also attract individuals to the place. The building can deter vandalism as there have been difficulties in the past. The church sits on a roundabout in a hectic junction. While the plans have been met with objections from 41 residents and the Ely Councillor Suzanne Goddard, Cardiff council nonetheless approved them at a planning committee. The councillor expressed worries concerning the increase in traffic at the roundabout and additionally the safety of pedestrians. She believed that it was sad that churches are being forced to put land for sale for development. She additionally said that she recognized resident’s emotions concerning the proposed development. Even so most of the residents who reside opposite the proposed development have been in favour of it.
Selling off part of the church’s property was the thought of the previous pastor Malcolm White who unfortunately died last month. He decided to put up the land for sale to raise the funds needed.
