St John’s Church in Seacombe: Conversion plans put on hold thanks to credit crunch

Dec 22 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

St John’s Church in Seacombe: Conversion plans put on hold thanks to credit crunch

THE CREDIT crunch has put paid to conversion plans for an iconic former church.

Grade II-listed St John’s Church in Seacombe was closed by the Church of England several years ago and sold for residential use.

In August 2006 Wirral Council granted planning permission – now expired – for it to be turned into 28 apartments.

But the owners of the church, Bury-based WDI Properties, went into receivership in October and the building is now being advertised for sale for £300,000.

Local councillors and Friends groups say they fear the building, which is in a prominent location on the edge of Central Park, could become “another Liscard Hall”.

The former art school fell into disrepair and was demolished two years ago after an arson attack.

John Shaw of Manchester property consultants Eddisons, which has been appointed to sell the church, told the News: “We have had interest in it and there was some from a local chap.

“It did have planning consent for residential use but it’s difficult to say if such a scheme could stack up now in this market.

“It’s also difficult to know what other use you could put it to. There are conditions with the property going forward because once the church sell them they put restrictions on any future sale.

“We have a duty to try to get the best we can for it.”

Seacombe Councillor Adrian Jones said a further delay would be a “great blow” to the area and people using Central Park.

He said: “Apart from the Town Hall this is the finest architectural landmark in our locality and it is also within a burial ground.Š

“I was never happy about it being converted into flats but that would have been better than letting it fall into dereliction.Š

“I believe the Diocese will want to keep a close watch on it.ŠBut as the Church of England seems to have attributed the developer’s having the rug pulled from under him to the bankers’ collapse, that bodes ill for its future prospects if other potential developers face the same difficulties.

“I attended a wedding there some years ago and recall how fine the acoustics were. They were so exceptionally good that I believe the RLPO held events there.”

“But with the council now planning many hundreds of job losses and £48millions of cuts across Wirral the future for any cultural development looks bleaker than ever.”