PROPOSALS to demolish a former methodist church and build housing in its place have been refused by Bradford Council.

Wrose Methodist Church shut its doors in Summer 2020 due to a "declining membership and an ageing congregation."

Late last year a planning application to replace the house of worship, on Thornacre Road, with five homes was submitted to Bradford Council by Ashley France.

If approved, a pair of semi-detached two storey dwellings, two detached two storey dwellings and a detached dormer bungalow would have been built on the site.

But this month planning officers refused the plans, saying the development would "compromise the spacious, uniform and mature residential character of the area."

The church had been operating since the early 60s, and at its peak was close to full on Sundays.

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However, the application revealed that declining membership had led to the decision to shut the church.

It said: "In recent times the church has struggled to keep up its momentum, and has had to face the reality of a declining membership and an ageing congregation.

"Early in 2020 key office holders indicated that they wished to relinquish their roles after many years of faithful service meaning that all main offices fell vacant at the end of the Connexional year in August 2020.

"Opportunities and offers to fill the posts were not taken up and at a Church Council Meeting, in summer last year the decision was taken to cease worship.

"The Circuit is intending to utilise 50 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of the site, with Planning Permission as envisaged in this application, by investing in another Methodist Project in Shipley. The remaining proceeds would be used to further the Church’s mission in Bradford North."

Planning officers said residential use for the site would be welcomed, but said the five homes in this application would lead to a development that was "cramped and incongruous."

They said one house would have an "overshadowing and overbearing impact" on existing houses next to the site.

Officers added: "The proposed development would represent a cramped and incongruous form of development which would not reflect the existing balance and relationship between buildings, gardens and landscaping in this locality.

"It would unacceptably compromise the spacious and mature residential character of the area."

An application to demolish the church and build four houses in its place was approved by the Council in 2006, but that permission has since expired.