THURROCK Council has rejected an application to turn a dilapidated former church building into a home because there has not been enough effort put into keeping it open as a place of worship or a community facility.

Vange Mission, on Bells Hill Road in Vange, sits just inside the Thurrock boundary – though traditionally its religious links have been within the Basildon Christian Fellowship.

The building was erected on October 13, 1886 as a 'Tin Tabernacle'. It subsequently became known as the Powerhouse.

For many years it played home to an non-denominational Christian Fellowship but over recent decades it has not been used and has fallen into a state of disrepair.

Ownership of the building remains something of a contentious point. It was recently registered at the Land Registry, but that is being contested by members of the local Christian community who say they still have ownership, even through it has not been used recently.

However, despite that, an application was submitted by Mr Dennis Baker, who gave the building as his address, to turn it into a one-bedroom dwelling, with access.

Support for the application came from one neighbour, Mrs Carol Jackson, who said: "This abandoned building is causing problems with unsavoury people using the ground as a toilet facility and for others to hide behind this deserted building for illegal drug deals.

"We have informed the police on a number of occasions and been told that this type of deserted building does cause them problems. The sooner a proper home is built, this will stop all this behaviour."

However, the council has rejected the application saying it has an obligation to ensure concurrent use of a community facility if possible.

In turning down the application, the council says: "Community facilities, such as churches, contribute towards meeting the varied needs of local people to interact with other members of the community.

"Core Strategy Policy CSTP10, Community Facilities, seeks to ensure the delivery of community facilities within the Borough in order to address needs and to maintain existing provision.

"The applicant has not provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the church has been reasonably and robustly advertised and marketed for worshipping use, or other community uses, since it became vacant in 2020. The loss of this local amenity would be contrary to Policy CSTP10."

Though members of the church group say they do not have the manpower to bring the church back into use themselves, they hope there may be a local church-associated group that could make use of the building. Though ownership will probably have to be decided by the Land Registry.

All the details of the application – and documentation relating to use and plans for the new home, can be accessed via this link.