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Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:03 am
by Gob
More than 10 Anglican churches a year are closing Wales, figures have shown.
Data from the Church in Wales showed 115 churches have closed over a 10-year period, about 8% of the total, with 1,319 still in use.
There are currently 11 properties advertised for sale on the church's website.
The Church in Wales said closures were a "significant issue" and while the sale rate had stayed steady, it was unlikely to slow down.
Head of property, Alex Glanville, said there was a move to take a regional look at churches rather than let each one deal with the issue on its own.
"We're grouping a lot more parishes and congregations together, about 10-15 churches in an area, and thinking which ones can we sustain.
"There's a little bit more strategy - what's a sustainable congregation and where's the best place to do it?"
The National Churches Trust said the rate of closures in Wales was relatively higher than England, given relative population size, where about 20 close each year.
Mr Glanville said one of the issues in Wales was a large number of buildings in very small communities, along with a lot of "very remote places" and falling church attendance.
The last census revealed Wales had the highest number of people with no religion in the UK.
He added: "A smaller congregation doesn't necessarily mean a church closing. People are innovative and think of many ways to get the church to perform a different function in the community."
Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:12 am
by RayThom
All stone and very little insulation. The cost to heat and/or air-condition these structures alone would equal the monthly mortgage. Aesthetically pleasing money pits.
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 2:56 am
by Long Run
Plenty of churches here have been repurposed. Surprisingly, some of the smaller ones have made nice homes.
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:58 am
by BoSoxGal
RayThom wrote:All stone and very little insulation. The cost to heat and/or air-condition these structures alone would equal the monthly mortgage. Aesthetically pleasing money pits.
Having lived a few years in a brick house, I can attest that stone structures don't really need air conditioning, they stay quite cool especially if they lack many large windows.
Heating is another thing altogether, but of course when utilized as a church the structure doesn't require 24/7 comfortable warmth, only heat sufficient to keep pipes from freezing. In converting a church to a residence or other full time use, the smartest thing would be to invest in ambient heating in-floor.
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:13 am
by Gob
It's important to use the right architect when converting....
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 10:00 am
by Guinevere
A former church on my street was repurposed into condos and looks quite nice. We have another former church that's a million-dollar single family home that is also beautiful. And huge!
St Mary's of the Bay
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:05 pm
by MajGenl.Meade
More than 10 Anglican churches a year are closing Wales, figures have shown.
Good for the Anglicans.... someone had to do it
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:57 am
by ex-khobar Andy
Gob wrote:It's important to use the right architect when converting....
I don't think it's the architect's fault but whoever erected it.
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 3:16 am
by BoSoxGal
Ouch!
Re: Great buildings, ripe for conversion!
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 3:21 am
by Gob
ex-khobar Andy wrote:
I don't think it's the architect's fault but whoever erected it.
It's a bit of a cock-up, made a right balls of it.