WALTHAM FOREST: Church to move to town centre

8:24am Thursday 27th September 2007

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A CHURCH in Walthamstow has announced it will close and move to new premises in the town centre.

St Luke's is planning to have its building in Greenleaf Road officially declared redundant by the end of the year, and is looking at available properties in the High Street.

The plans were outlined at a public meeting last week.

Walthamstow team rector Rev Simon Heathfield and St Luke's vicar Rev Nigel Anstey said that the church could better serve the local community from a more central location.

The church leaders added that the existing buildings, dating back to 1901, are in poor structural repair, and are further undermined by an underground stream running beneath the church.

They pointed to feasibility studies that concluded that the site could not be refurbished and said the congregation cannot meet repair costs, estimated to be around £1million, let alone bring the facilities up-to-date.

Mr Heathfield said the Greenleaf Road site would be sold, with the money generated being used to buy a new place of worship.

He told the Guardian: "We face the future with a mixture of sadness and excitement. The opportunities of focussing the St Luke's ministry in the High Street are huge, but it will be a great wrench to leave the present buildings after 100 years.

"During the transition, we need to be especially sensitive to the needs of some long-standing members of the congregation who still have reservations. ."

He said that the facilities offered at the new centre would be tailored to the needs of those who use the High Street, although no details are yet available as consultation is ongoing.

However, Mr Heathfield said that the premises would be developed to provide a range of services for local people rather than primarily being a place of worship.