Bid to demolish former Kettering chapel to create parking spaces

A former Kettering chapel which was built in the early 1900s could be demolished to make way for car parking spaces.

Perfect Assets Limited has applied for planning permission to knock down the historic red-bricked building in Bath Road, which was once a Primitive Methodist Chapel.

It is thought to be the only Primitive Methodist chapel in Kettering, although it is no longer used as a chapel and is currently used for storage.

The site is opposite the Timsons Business Centre and the chapel’s existing small car park is currently used by visitors to local firms which are based there.

A planning statement said: "Due to a number of the local businesses within the Timsons Business Centre expanding and growing, additional car parking space is vital to the development of the local business community.

"The application for the demolition of the former chapel, currently empty and used for storage, will allow the creation and delivery of the additional car parking space to allow the local businesses to grow and flourish.”

The chapel was built in 1906 although the site had been used as part of the Primitive Methodist movement since 1874 when an iron chapel was opened there. This was then replaced with a brick-built place of worship, to which a Sunday school was added.

A similar demolition application was refused last year after council officers deemed Perfect Assets’ bid was not permitted development – work which could be carried out without planning permission – and needed full planning permission to be approved.

North Northamptonshire Council could make a decision on the application by September 20.