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Burnley Express
17 August 2001

Historic Church To Be Demolished
By Linda Bloomfield

Historic Haggate Baptist Church is unsafe and members of the church - faced with an estimate of up to £200,000 for repairs, have voted to demolish it.
The decision was made after a thorough survey of the landmark chapel, opened in 1867, revealed the extent of roof spread, wall bulge, and wet and dry rot both upstairs and downstairs in the galleried building. Its demolition will change the face of Haggate forever.
Builders asked to tender said they would only guarantee their work for 10 years.
Said Mr. Michael Green, a deacon and trustee of the church: With old places like this there is every chance that builders could uncover more hidden faults as work progressed and before you know it an estimate of £200,000 shoots up to a quarter-of-a-million pounds. The work can only be guaranteed for 10 years, which means that young people in our congregation today could be facing the same kjind of heartache in another 15 years or so. It is a millstone we do not want to hang around their necks.
The church has made two outline planning applications to Burnley Council for permission to build three detached properties, a second group of three town houses and a new access road off Burnley Road. This willl also involve the demolition of the church institute.
It is planned to use the school building as the future church. Activities like badminton and the mums and toddlers' group will carry on there but part of the building will be set aside for worship. Money raised from the sale of land with planning permission will be used to resculpt the interior of the school for its new life.
Said Mr Green: "We had a meeting of the members and it was a unanimous decision to demolish. One of the greatest difficulties with this building is the weight of stone in the roof supported by walls that are not strong enough to bear it - hence the roof spread and the bulge. We knew there was some wet rot in the beams but once plaster was stripped off there was extensive evidence of dry rot.
"It was a difficult decision to make. Some members in their eighties were baptised at Haggate, went to the school and Sunday School, and it has been their church all their lives.. No-one wants to see this building demolished. It is the mother church for other local Baptist churches. At the end of the day we have to be realistic. We haven't got this sort of money for repairs and we do not want to saddle future congregations with the decisions we have had to make."
Church Minister Mr Philip Elson told us: "It was a very brave decision - one that members faced with heavy hearts because the church means so much to them."
The highbuilding can be seen from Blacko, from the top of Pendle Hill and from Walton Spire on the outskirts of Nelson.
It is hoped to find the pipe organ a new home.

Thanks to David Barker for obtaining this article from Burnley reference library for me.

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Mel

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Burnley Express
September 7th 2001
Home Fury Over Grave Site Plans

Haggate residents are furious over plans to build houses on a former burial ground at Haggate Baptist Chapel.
The Haggate Baptist Chapel Trustees have submitted outline plans for three detached houses at the former burial ground in Halifax Road and residents have called the plan 'immoral'.
Local resident Mr Steve Tilley said: "What we want to do is bring it to the Public's attention. I have spoken to a lot of residents and not one of them has a good word for the plans."
The site is being sold so that the church can fund the development of the nearby school as a place of worship.
Mr Michael Green, deacon and chapel trustee, said: "The only reason we have these plans in is because the chapel has to be pulled down and we need to develop the school as a place of worship. The school development is the cheapest option".
Mr Tilley spent an afternoon looking around the graveyard and found that one of the graves was just 17 years old.
He said: "I, like many, have residents buried in the Nelson Road site and I shudder to think that 20 or 30 years from now they would be digging my grandparents up if they are looking to raise cash again."
The repair work on the chapel would cost in the region of £200,000 and even then the work would only be guaranteed for 10 years.
Another local resident, Mrs Diane Ridings, has fears over a new access point which is to be created at the school in Burnley Road.
She said: "The council are thinking of introducing traffic calming measures further down in the village but that, coupled with the new access point, will prove a nightmare. For residents the road is the only route to Burnley and Nelson."
Plans for the access point have been refused previously but residents now fear that they will be submitted again.

Thanks to David Barker for obtaining this article from Burnley reference library for me

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Mel

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