City Church

A CHURCH set to be demolished to make way for flats could still be saved, due to a historic covenant.

Welwyn Hatfield Council’s planning committee approved plans to demolish City Church on the junction of Acacia Street and The Wades in Hatfield, and allow 12 flats to replace it.

But an historic covenant attached to the land by the Hatfield Development Corporation restricts it for use as a church or mission group.

A 170-name petition was submitted to the council against Snowgold Developments’ plans, and three speakers gave evidence to the committee on Thursday night.

Cllr Lynne Sparks tweeted after the meeting: “City Church The Wades planning app a difficult decision tonight, a good example of how views can be changed by speakers/debate on the night.”

She later told the WHT she had originally planned to back the officers, but the community need expressed by two speakers encouraged her to vote against the plans.

The proposal was pushed through by 10 votes to five.

A spokeswoman said the covenant is now held by Welwyn Hatfield Council.

She said: “Although planning consent has now been granted to convert the site for residential use, it does not automatically follow that the covenant will be transferred.

“The applicant must apply to the council’s corporate property department, the landowner, who will then decide whether to release it, before planning consent can be implemented.”