Unholy row over church minister’s garage plan

AN APPLICATION to convert a garage into a study for a Methodist minister has been passed by councillors, despite neighbours’ fears that people may pray there.

Neighbours claim the conversion would create a prayer room for a minister who lives in Fairways Court, Norton, in Dudley.

They say it therefore amounts to a “manse”, a vicarage for a Methodist minister, and was a change of use from a residential property.

They also claimed the study would be used for church business, including prayer meetings, when worshippers would park on the street, blocking access to neighbouring properties. But a last minute move to defer a decision on the plans for a site visit was rejected by councillors.

Councillor Colin Elcock called for the deferral in a heated meeting during which residents claimed the conversion would cause parking problems as church members attended meetings at the preacher’s home.

This was denied by the home’s owners, the Vale of Stour Methodist Church, which said additional off-road parking would be provided by widening the drive and meetings would only be attended by wardens conducting church business or couples making marriage plans. Cllr Elcock, pointing to what he claimed was a wheelchair ramp on submitted plans, said the manse would have only one offroad parking space. He said the application was the “thin end of the wedge”.

“While I hesitate to say the Vale of Stour Church is trying to come in through the back-door, if we approve this I think it’s the thin end of the wedge,” he said.

“On a plan, I’ve seen there is wheelchair access.

“If there is wheelchair access, that is actually cutting down on off-road parking.”

Cllr Andrea Goddard, chair of the development committee, interjecting, said there was no mention of wheelchair access and councillors could only consider matters outlined in the report.

Cllr Elock responded: “I feel that if there is a wheelchair ramp there would be no space for two cars and therefore there would be further parking on the street.”

The last-minute attempt to defer a decision for a site visit was rejected by the committee which granted the conversion planning consent.

The vote was met with shouts of derision from members of the public.