A minister today told how his entire congregation is behind plans to demolish their historic Bingley church and replace it with a modern new building.

Reverend David Johnson, the longest serving Methodist minister in the Bradford area, admitted there had been some disagreement in the past about the plans for Grade II-listed Mornington Road Church.

But he said the decision to demolish had been taken in conjunction with church officials and worshippers who now agreed it was the way forward. A fundraising drive had been launched in the 1980s to give the building a facelift but it had to be ditched as repair costs shot up.

Plans have now been submitted to Bradford Council to demolish the landmark building and put a new church on the same site. They have yet to be considered by councillors and would have to go before the Secretary of State if they were approved.

Mr Johnson, who will leave the church in September after eleven years, said: "There was a time when there was some division over demolition but the majority voted for going down this road and everybody is working together. We are 100 per cent united."

He said the Methodist Church's West Yorkshire District decided the repair plans should be scrapped. He added: "The price had shot up and it was simply beyond our financial means. They started the ball rolling on demolition. We consulted with Methodists at various levels in the church and finally came back to the Mornington Road church council where it was decided not to spend any more."

Steward Mike Scargill said: "The decision to seek demolition and re-building of a modern church at Mornington Road was taken by the Methodist Church nationally with full support from district, circuit and Bingley itself and the proposal has been spearheaded by many people at all levels."

Mr Johnson said it would be a wrench to leave Bingley for a new post in Hull. His initial term of office began in 1988 and was for five years but he was invited to stay for a further period of four years, then for another two.

He said his decision to stay had been partly influenced by a desire to continue helping the Methodist churches in Bingley through changes involving the merger of smaller congregations at Crossflatts and Gilstead with those at Bingley and Eldwick.

And he said he had been keen to find a solution to the problem of the church building in Mornington Road.

He added: "I'm the longest serving Methodist minister in the Bradford metropolitan area and the second longest in the West Yorkshire district. It will be a wrench to leave."

Speaking about Mr Johnson, stewards Bryn Morgan and Mike Scargill said: "His eleven-year ministry in Bingley and Eldwick Methodist Churches has been distinguished by a strong emphasis on pastoral care and support to sick and troubled people in the church and wider community, a concern for older and potentially isolated people, and leadership in youth work."

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