Demolition Plans Approved for Ebenezer Chapel in West Wylam
Karbon Homes gets the green light to demolish Ebenezer Chapel for new apartments
Ebenezer Chapel, West Wylam, Prudhoe, Karbon Homes, Community, Housing
Prudhoe: So, the council just approved the demolition of the Ebenezer Chapel in West Wylam. Karbon Homes wants to tear it down and build eight one-bedroom apartments instead.
This chapel has been sitting empty for about ten years. It closed because not enough people were attending, and it’s really fallen apart since then.
Built back in 1874, it’s one of the last pieces of the old West Wylam coal mining village. Most of the village was knocked down in the 1950s to make way for new homes.
There was a plan to keep the chapel as part of the new housing, but it turned out to be too costly to fix up. A local community group, the Friends of Eastwood Park, really wanted to save it, though.
Russ Greig from the group told the council that fixing the chapel would only cost around £300,000. He argued that it’s a small price to pay for preserving their local history.
He mentioned how West Wylam is a tight-knit community facing tough times. They need investment to improve their area, not just more flats.
On the other hand, Martin Hawthorne from Karbon Homes said the chapel is in terrible shape. He explained that the building is decaying, and it’s unsafe to keep it standing.
He insisted that they wanted to refurbish it, but it just wasn’t feasible. They believe these new homes are essential for local residents.
The council’s development manager, Kate Blyth, said it’s unfortunate to lose the chapel, but no one has come up with a better plan in the last ten years.
Even though the council planners recommended the project, some local councillors were hesitant. Cllr Gordon Stewart expressed his disappointment, saying the chapel means more than just a building.
He felt that once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. Others, like Cllr Holly Waddell, agreed that not all options had been explored and couldn’t support the demolition.
However, some committee members felt they had no valid reason to reject the plans. Cllr Ian Hutchinson said it was a tough decision but felt it was necessary since the chapel had been on the market for so long.
In the end, the plans were approved with a vote of eight to three. It’s a bittersweet outcome for the community.