A derelict former church in Weymouth town centre is to be redeveloped 20 years after the building was gutted by a fire.

The  Grade II* listed former Methodist church on Maiden Street was partially destroyed by a fire in January 2002 and has been decaying ever since – despite several proposals for its redevelopment over the years, including plans for flats and a restaurant.

Now, the current owner – who purchased the site in 2016 and was previously granted planning permission for a 25-apartment scheme – has renewed its plans to carry out the project after making some amendments to the design.

The owner, Oxford-based Cranbourne (Weymouth) Ltd – a subsidiary of the Cranbourne Group - was given the green light for the redevelopment in 2019, after being granted listed building consent for reconstruction and change of use of the former church together with remedial works and redevelopment of an existing three-bedroomed chapel house at the site.

Dorset Echo: How the inside of former Weymouth Methodist Church looks now How the inside of former Weymouth Methodist Church looks now (Image: Ellie Maslin, Newsquest)

The building went up for sale in 2020 but has since been taken off the market. Companies House records show that Cranbourne (Weymouth) secured a mortgage against the property in July this year.

In July the company also submitted new documents to Dorset Council confirming a timeline for the development, with preliminary work due to start last month.

October 2022 also saw the council approve a planning request by the developer to change the design in order to create inset balconies on the top-floor apartments.

Melcombe Regis councillor Jon Orrell said he is glad to see more housing being built on brownfield sites.

“It will be good to see this prominent landmark building restored,” he added.

However safety concerns have been raised after wooden hoardings surrounding the building site came loose and have still not been replaced.

Dorset Echo: 'Danger keep out': Warning sign at building site of former Weymouth Methodist church'Danger keep out': Warning sign at building site of former Weymouth Methodist church (Image: Ellie Maslin, Newsquest)

Dorset Council said it was forced to take action after being alerted by a member of the public. The hoardings are believed to have been blown loose by recent severe winds.

“We were called out as some of the hoardings were blocking the pavement,” a council spokesman said.

“Signage to deter people from entering the site was put up on Thursday (Nov 3)… building control has written to notify the private owner that the site is unsecured.”

On Friday contractors were seen erecting hoardings around the site, which is now secured.

Attempts have been made to contact Cranbourne and its directors. 

Dorset Echo: Hoardings are missing at the building site of former Weymouth Methodist ChurchHoardings are missing at the building site of former Weymouth Methodist Church (Image: Ellie Maslin, Newsquest)

Why is Weymouth Methodist Church important?

The church sits in the heart of the town centre and is within a 300-metre distance of the harbour, Esplanade and beach. It was designed in 1865 in the “Lombardic Romanesque” style.

The building is of such architectural importance that conservation chiefs have demanded the developer maintain the external walls and rebuild the ornate rose window which spectacularly exploded on the night of the fire.

The application says the facade will be reconstructed, using some of the original materials, to include a new rose window to replicate the previous one.

According to Dorset Council latest plans for the ‘rose’ window have been enhanced since the earlier designs were approved, which will see “a closer level of detail” to the original window and its surrounding ornamentation.

 

What is being built at the site?

The development will see accommodation built over six levels, with the sixth floor used as bedrooms for flats on the fifth floor.

Planning authority Dorset Council granted the recent planning amendment application for new balconies facing Mitchell Street on the basis that the recent proposals “would not have any adverse impact on neighbour’s amenity or fundamentally change the character of the proposal as a whole.”

The amendments are therefore considered acceptable as a non-material amendment, planning officers have stated.

Dorset Echo: Latest proposals include adding inset balconies to top-floor apartments (Image credit: Cranbourne Weymouth/Dorset Council)Latest proposals include adding inset balconies to top-floor apartments (Image credit: Cranbourne Weymouth/Dorset Council) (Image: Dorset Council)

What is happening at the site?

Plans submitted to the council construction state the development will take just under one year to complete.

According to the developer’s construction schedule dated July 2022:

  • Site works will start in October 2022, to be commenced with small-scale demolition works to the southern elevation of the church, which comprises single-story modern flat roof additions to the ground floor.

In addition to this will be the clearing of pigeon droppings and removal of overgrown areas of self-seeded brambles. These works are anticipated to take 3-4 weeks to complete.

  • Phase 1 of development will comprise site drainage and groundworks of substructure/ floor slab. These works are likely to take 10 weeks.
     
  • Phase 2 involves the façade repair, rebuilding works and erection of the internal SFS superstructure. These works are likely to take 20 weeks to complete.
     
  • Phase 3 of development comprises the cladding of the structure and internal fit-out, this is also likely to take around 15 weeks to complete.