Carpet warehouse to take over Pontefract town centre church
The building closed as a church in August 2024 and was put up for sale.
Approval has been granted to convert a town centre church which dates back to the 1920s into a carpet warehouse.
Wakefield Council has given the go-ahead to change the use of Micklegate Methodist Church, in Pontefract, from a place of worship to retail premises.
The building closed as a church in August 2024 and was put up for sale.
The owners of Major Floor Coverings plan to move the business into the building following the decision.
The company currently operates from a unit nearby at North Baileygate.
A statement prepared on behalf of the firm said: “The applicant and his wife will be the only employees.
“The aim is to purchase a more modern building, to allow the business to expand.”
The building dates back to around a century ago but was partly rebuilt in 1968 following a fire.
The scheme includes using around one third of the space inside the premises as a sales area, with the remainder used mainly for storage.
No external changes to the existing building are planned.
Some changes are proposed to the car park to allow vehicles to deliver carpets to the site and for fitters to deliver to customers.
The applicant said the scheme complied with the council’s policy of improving links between Pontefract Castle and the town centre to encourage visitors between both destinations.
The statement also said: “The relocation will allow the expansion of a successful local business.
“Its position, in an edge of centre location, will support rather than undermine the vitality of the town centre.
“The proposal will enhance the area by finding a new use for a redundant building and add an attraction which would encourage footfall through the area.”
The council’s conservation officer said the church was a “building of local interest” but did not object to the scheme.
They said: “It stands within Pontefract Castle conservation area and makes an important contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area.”
The officer said any new signage for the business to be “sensitively designed so as not to undermine the significance of the building.”
They also said a further report recording the architecture inside the building should also be considered before alterations are carried out.