Townley Street Chapel to become housing?

Plans have been submitted to demolish the 231-year-old Townley Street Chapel and substitute new homes.

Many local residents see development of a site as a positive move for the site which has stood empty since 2010 but opposers have cited increased traffic, loss of parking and modern housing being ‘disrespectful’ of the area’s history.

One objector said: “The proposals are crowded with insufficient amenity areas leading to overdevelopment of the site.

The modern design, whilst may be suitable in another environment, shows no acknowledgement to style or the history of the site and is alien and disrespectful of the character and appearance of neighbouring buildings and the listed church.”

A Calvinist Chapel was built in Townley Street in 1788. It was built by a group that had split from the King Edward Street Chapel when it switched from being Presbyterian to Unitarian. Those who left the chapel at this point met for a time in a barn in Mill Street then in an old factory. Eventually they erected the Townley Street Chapel which was enlarged in the early 19th century. It was known as the Ebenezer or Townley Street Chapel. The adjoining Sunday School had around 600 members.

Later the Townley Street Chapel was turned into a day school. 

The site has been on the market for nearly ten years. Downes Heathcote became involved in 2016 but concluded the costs of refurbishment was too high and demolition was the only viable option.

A spokesman for the United Reformed Church said: “The current building is in a state of disrepair. The proposed development will bring life to the road, and although modern has been designed to fit in with the surrounding buildings.”