Plans to transform church into restaurant approved

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

A Victorian church that locals feared could be demolished will be given a new lease of life as a restaurant and shops.

Christ Church Presbyterian in Tynewydd Road, Barry, dates back to the 1890s but lacks the protection many historic buildings have as it isn’t listed.

Plans in 2021 to demolish the building, which is also known as New Jerusalem Church, were strongly opposed by residents and local councillors.

However the future of the building now looks to be very different after Vale of Glamorgan Council’s planning committee approved plans at a meeting on Thursday, October 9, to turn the building into shops on the ground floor and a restaurant on the top floor.

‘Positive change’

Plaid Cymru Vale of Glamorgan Council ward councillor for Buttrills in the centre of Barry, Cllr Ian Johnson, said: “The original proposal was to demolish the New Jerusalem Church in the centre of Barry so I am pleased that these plans will maintain the building, which dates back to the 1890s.

“Bringing the historic building back into use as a restaurant and shop is a positive change but has its own challenges.

“I welcome the proposed planning conditions on opening hours and the need for a delivery management plan to ensure pedestrian safety around the building and also that deliveries do not take place at unsociable times.

“It’s important that this development is successful but doesn’t negatively affect local residents.”

Towns in the Vale of Glamorgan, like Barry and Penarth, have a history of former churches being demolished or retrofitted as part of plans for housing or other developments.

‘Heritage emergency’ 

When plans to demolish Christ Church Presbyterian were first put in local councillors called the situation a “heritage emergency” for Barry.

“When it comes to this, I’m glad to see it,” said Vale Council planning committee member Cllr Nic Hodges of the new plans.

“I would like to see more restaurants in our town centre.

“I want to see this building actively reused and I think they will have a significant part to play in the re-modernisation of the centre of our town, which needs desperately to be done.”

Another planning committee member, Cllr Mark Wilson, said: “I feel this is a good re-purposing of a building and I’m hoping that it will act as a catalyst for further developments nearby.

“Certainly there is potential for other buildings not too dissimilar to this to be developed very near.”

Cllr Wilson, who is also a councillor for Stanwell in Penarth, said he regrets what’s happened to former historic churches in his ward.

Christ Church in Stanwell Road was demolished in the 1980s to make way for office accommodation and the former Bethania Church in Hickman Road, built in the 1890s, was also demolished.

However plans to redevelop the site still haven’t materialised.