A blot on the landscape
CHURCH WRECKED BY FIRE A YEAR AGO YET TO BE DEMOLISHED
Reporter CALLS have been made to knock down an “eyesore” church building in Whitley Bay that was destroyed by fire a year ago.
The Trinity United Reform Church, on the Esplanade, was gutted after the blaze on May 6 last year. The incident happened shortly after 8pm and around 40 firefighters brought the flames under control.
The area was cordoned off by police while neighbours and families from nearby buildings were evacuated.
Some weeks after the incident, a demolition team arrived in the area and fences were erected around the site. Signs by G O’Brien and Sons Ltd, which still remain around the building, were put up warning people that demolition work would take place. However, a year on, the ravaged building remains standing.
North Tyneside Council says the owners of the site would need consent to demolish the structure but no application has been made.
When The Chronicle contacted G O’Brien and Sons Ltd, the firm only said: “It is not owned by G O’Brien and Sons.”
Residents in Whitley Bay say the site, which is near the seafront and is regularly seen by people heading towards the coast, has become an eyesore.
Coun John O’Shea, who represents the Whitley Bay ward, said: “The building is so unsightly. It is about 100 metres away from the newly-refurbished promenade and the Spanish City area which is being restored, and people are seeing this eyesore every day. It’s an awful shame that we have this derelict building there while so much work is going on to regenerate the coast.
“I have contacted the council’s planning department to see if action can be taken to get the owners to demolish the building and redevelop it. It’s been there for a year and something needs to be done.”
Meanwhile, inquiries into the cause of the fire are still continuing. Last year, the police arrested a 56-year-old man in connection with the incident, who was later released under investigation.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “Last year we received a report of a fire at Trinity United Reform Church, Whitley Bay. Nearby families were forced to evacuate their homes while 40 firefighters dealt with the fire. Thankfully no-one was hurt, however the fire devastated the building.
“Police followed a number of lines of inquiry and spoke to witnesses at the time however those responsible were never identified. Even now, almost a year after the investigation, Northumbria Police would encourage anyone with information to get in touch. We know there will be people out there who know the person responsible for this incident but have yet to tell police. We would ask that you get in touch.”
Anyone with information should contact Northumbria Police on 101, quoting log 1028 06/05/17.