Neighbours feared new church would cause crime and vandalism
Friday, 5th April 2013.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council yesterday approved plans for a new church and community centre with an auditorium for 350 people, in Chapelwent Road, between the Arrendene and Meadowlands estates.
This will be the second brand new church built in Haverhill in the last two years, due again to the rapid expansion of members of the church.
This one is for the River of Life Church, which has been meeting in community buildings and schools, but has outgrown even the biggest and needs its own premises.
A total of 45 neighbours objected on a wide variety of grounds, ranging from noise and traffic to smells from the cafe and a possible increase in crime and vandalism which, it was claimed, would be caused by the existence a church building on what had previously been waste ground.
But the proposal was recommended for approval by the planning officer because it would provide a community facility within an allocated site in Haverhill, a sustainable location that was readily accessible by a range of transport modes.
The level of car parking provided on site was considered to be ample with the support of the applicant’s Travel Plan it would ensure that the site could accommodate the level of use proposed.
This will be the second brand new church built in Haverhill in the last two years, due again to the rapid expansion of members of the church.
This one is for the River of Life Church, which has been meeting in community buildings and schools, but has outgrown even the biggest and needs its own premises.
A total of 45 neighbours objected on a wide variety of grounds, ranging from noise and traffic to smells from the cafe and a possible increase in crime and vandalism which, it was claimed, would be caused by the existence a church building on what had previously been waste ground.
But the proposal was recommended for approval by the planning officer because it would provide a community facility within an allocated site in Haverhill, a sustainable location that was readily accessible by a range of transport modes.
The level of car parking provided on site was considered to be ample with the support of the applicant’s Travel Plan it would ensure that the site could accommodate the level of use proposed.
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