A former church will be transformed into a home after plans got the green light. 

Tendring Council’s planning committee has approved plans to transform the former place of worship for the New Church of Jerusalem into housing. 

The plans were put forward in November 2021 and have been approved following the meeting on September 15. 

The grade II listed Victorian building has not been used as a church for years and was home to a Preschool Nursery until 2010, leaving the premises vacant until now. 

Residents welcomed the plans for a single space, as a previous application was aiming to have several flats built, which would increase traffic, and preserve the building as it had been left unmaintained for over a decade. 

As Queen Street is a residential area, tenants of the surrounding homes have emphasised their support for turning it into housing instead of handing it over to a business.  

Essex County Council’s heritage committee opposed it as it considered the main purpose of the building as an important feature of the building.  

The plans do not include any physical alterations to the building to keep its charm and not become an eyesore for the surrounding area.