Staffordshire church in controversial bid to build on old graves

Jan 1 2010 by Justine Halifax, Birmingham Mail

A NEW community hall could be built on old graves next year if a Midland church’s plans win approval.

Despite fears that some churchgoers could view the move as “abhorrent”, church officials at St John the Divine in Horninglow, near Alrewas, have unveiled a proposal to extend the current church building and create a new community hall on old graves in its churchyard.

While the vicar, the Rev Michael Freeman, said he understood the need to “proceed sensitively”, a partial planning application has already been submitted to East Staffordshire Borough Council.

In addition to needing planning permission from the local authority, it will also need to the approval of the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Lichfield.

Mr Freeman explained that while the church has an existing hall, a five- minute walk from the church, it was built in around 1960 and has become dilapidated over the years. As well as being hidden from view and accessed over a car park, he said the land around the hall is “frequented by drug users” and said a new hall was required to “meet the needs of the church and community in the 21st century”.

He added: “The church at Horninglow wants to serve its community but the current facilities do not allow us to do this effectively. We know the idea of building on top of graves will be abhorrent to some; but others will understand that there are times when this is necessary.”

Mr Freeman said that any memorials in the development area would be “sensitively moved” to another part of the churchyard.