Is former church answer to your prayers?

A HISTORIC former Zion Methodist Church in a Derbyshire town has been put on the market for offers above £325,000.

The former place of worship is prominently located in Market Street, in South Normanton, and has a chapel, viewing balcony and assembly hall.

The original church was built in or around 1881 and was extended at a later date, in or around the 1930s, before being adapted further in more recent years. The detached freehold property, which closed as a place of worship in October last year, has been described by Derby-based estate agent Gadsby Nichols as a “redevelopment opportunity” for prospective buyers.

The chapel features exposed timber beams and a painted plastered ceiling, with two vertical cast-iron support columns and a carpeted floor. Under the balcony, which accommodates the original organ, sits the former vestry.

The principal access to the building is via a comparatively modern (1994) entrance porch, which leads into the assembly hall, which has suspended timber floor and a raised curtained stage with spotlighting.

To the rear of the stage is a secondary hall/meeting room, kitchen, ancillary storage space and the toilet facilities.

There is also a large car park outside the building, which is close to The Hub, a joint service centre located to the rear of the site, Heron Foods and the Co-op Food store.

A spokesperson for Gadsby

Nichols said the property, which is available to those looking to offer in excess of £325,000, offers “the potential for a variety of uses, and refurbishment or redevelopment, subject to obtaining the necessary planning consent”.