Council refuses plans to turn bank into a church

Permission to convert a former bank into a community church has been refused by a council for a second time over insufficient parking provisions.

Ernest Moses of Central Trust submitted a planning application to Peterborough City Council to convert the former branch of Barclays in Fletton into a place of worship.

The trust wanted to use the building to host religious and family support services, community activities and leadership and youth training.

The plans were refused after the council's highways team said the proposal "failed to demonstrate that sufficient on-site parking or vehicle turning facilities would be provided".

The authority added that vehicle movements from the development would likely compromise the safety of users of the adjacent public highway.

This is the second application for the vacant site on the High Street, after a previous proposal was rejected by the council in 2024 over similar parking and noise concerns.

According to the plans, the church would include a conference and function room and sound insulation would be made to prevent any adverse impacts from singing during worship.

Provision for 15 car parking spaces was proposed, with the applicant claiming arrangements were made with the Italian Community Association and Stanground Academy located nearby to use their parking facilities.

The trust had said in a statement: "The proposed development represents a sustainable and community-focused reuse of a currently vacant building, transforming it into a vibrant place of worship and community hub that will serve the needs of the local Christian community and the wider Fletton area."

The city council's planning officer said: "There is already limited off-street parking for existing residents and visitors, and the streets adjacent to the site cannot accommodate further additional parking burden.

"The proposal results in a clear intensification of use, especially on days of worship, which would result in an unacceptable level of impact on highway safety."

The applicant has six months to appeal against the decision.

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