CHURCH goers have been offered an enticing glimpse of a multi-million pound community centre that has been three decades in the planning.

St John's in Epping has unveiled designs and a model of a £2 million development proposed to adjoin the grade II*-listed church building.

The church team hopes the centre will be up and running by 2015 - kick-starting the district council's planned overhaul of the St John's Road site.

The modern centre will adjoin the Grade II*-listed church building, replacing the former curate's house next door.

Designed by award-winning architects Molyneux Kerr, the centre will include an atrium, hall, café, meeting rooms and offices.

The unveiling is a landmark in a 30-year bid to expand the church, with plans for a centre first touted in 1980.

Canon Geoffrey Connor, team rector for Epping district, is keen for one of the rooms to be used for an 'art cooperative'.

"We are in the heart of Epping, as a building, but we also want to be part of Epping as a community," he said.

"We have got so many talented people in Epping. We've got painters, we've got potters - and they've got no outlet.

"We thought this would be a wonderful way of having a community art venture."

Proposals to develop the seven-acre council owned site surrounding the church have courted controversy, with plans for a supermarket sparking protests in April.

"The council have got these big plans. We are integral to that so they keep us in the loop," said the canon.

"We don't know exactly what's going to happen around us.

"But they just said to us 'you just need to get on with it'."

The church has so far raised £200,000 toward the build - and has launched the 'Heart of Epping' appeal in a bid to gather the rest of the funds.

"We are Christians so we believe God's involved in this," said Canon Connor.

"Yes, we haven't got the money yet - but we're hoping in the next 15 months we can raise it."

A model and detailed plans are on display in the church, which is open from 9.30am to 3pm daily.

  • To donate to the Heart of Epping appeal, visit www.eppinganglicans.org.uk/HeartofEpping.htm, visit the Heart of Epping Facebook page, email heartofepping@eppinganglicans.org.uk or call 01992 575570.