A five-bedroom converted church that’s currently on the market with a £1.75 million price tag is proving difficult to sell because there is no on-site parking.
The former church at the corner of Eastbourne Avenue | Image © Google Street View / Google 2024
As a result, a planning application has now been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset to demolish part of a wall to create access to provide parking for two cars at the former Claremont Methodist Church.
A report prepared as part of the planning application says the property, which is at the junction of Eastbourne Avenue and Tyning Lane in Larkhall, has been on the market for 16 months with two different agents.
It explains: “Unfortunately, due to a lack of on-site parking and the inability to install an electric vehicle charging point, the building remains on the market, with prospective purchasers being deterred by these factors, particularly as the nearby on-street parking is often at capacity in the evenings and weekends.”
When planning permission was initially sought in 2022 for the change of use of the church to a house, parking spaces were part of the proposal but were dropped due to concerns raised by the council’s conservation officer.
That in turn sparked an objection from the council’s highways department but in approving the scheme, the planning officers felt the shortfall of two parking spaces would not cause an unacceptable impact on local roads.
They said that the building was a church and community building for many years with no on-site parking and was likely to have drawn a higher parking need and number of trips compared to one house.
It was also felt that the site is in a sustainable location, within close walking distance of local amenities and public transport access to the city centre.
This new proposal to secure on-site parking includes removing a small section of the front boundary wall to create access from Eastbourne Avenue, along with installing an electric vehicle charging point, rebuilding the damaged front pillar and infilling the corner pedestrian accesses with the salvaged stone from the wall.
It also involves replacing the front close-boarded gate with a railing gate and replacing side boundary fencing with railings.
The report in support of the application says: “Since the change of use application was granted planning permission, there has been a material change in circumstances.
“A residents’ parking zone has been introduced in this area, which is indicative of the off-site parking problems that exist.
“Parking is often at capacity in the evenings and weekends, and any additional vehicles associated with this converted church would exacerbate this problem.
“The applicant would be willing to rescind its residents’ parking permits if planning permission is granted for on-site parking.”
The report says that Eastbourne Avenue is used as part of a rat run for drivers trying to avoid the congested London Road: “Due to the limited passing places on Eastbourne Avenue, vehicles frequently drive at speed up and down this road trying to avoid oncoming traffic before it approaches in the opposite direction.
“Introducing more parked cars on the highway, which would reduce the opportunity for passing places, would be to the detriment of highway safety.”
The report adds that the application would result in a public benefit by removing cars parked on the road.
The planning reference is 24/03000/FUL. The deadline for people to comment on the proposals is 13th September.
