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Colchester: Historic church can convert
10:14pm Thursday 15th May 2008
An historic church is a step closer becoming home to a Russian Orthodox congregation.
Colchester councillors have tonight given the go-ahead for the Garrison Church to be transformed for the orthodox faith.
It means the inside of the former Army chapel can be fitted with an iconstasis screen and side walls around the chancel.
Changes are allowed to the altar and icon shelves and candles trays can be added.
The Felixstowe diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church is in the running to buy the grade II* listed building in Military Road.
It applied for permission for the alterations in case it wins the bid.
Father Andrew Phillips told the council's planning meeting the church would be open to anyone who wanted it to use it.
He said it would be a community facility, with priority for the New Town area, and visitors could have guided tours.
Fr Phillips said everyone taking part in the bidding process wanted to save the Garrison Church.
"And that is what we feel we are doing - saving the Garrison Church," he added.
Nigel Chapman (Con, Fordham and Stour) said: "Hallelujah! Churches should be churches. I'm not sure I like them being turned into arts centres and everything else.
"I look forward to visiting it when it's complete."
Ray Gamble (Lib Dem, St John's) agreed, saying: "I think it is a lovely use of this building.
"It has been a place of worship, it is a place of worship and it will be a place of worship."
However, Chris Hall (Lib Dem, Castle) said: "The community has lost an auditorium."
Save the Garrison Church campaigners, who lost out on a rival bid, objected to the application.
They wanted to use the church for concerts, meetings and events.
The weather-boarded church dates back to 1856 and is of national architectural importance.
Its future remains undecided because of the garrison redevelopment, which includes a new church.
Owner Taylor Wimpey has not yet announced who it will sell the building to.
Your Say YourColchester
Say It As It Is, Clackers says...
2:13pm Fri 16 May 08
Cliff, Colchester says...
10:27am Sun 18 May 08
Your sayYourColchester
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Annie, 245204 says...
8:44am Fri 16 May 08
Come on Colchester, stand up and ask for the building to be funded and used as a much needed musical facility.
Your sons and daughters will have a suitable place to take part in musical festivals, practices, concerts. The very good choral and music societies of the area will have a worthy venue of which they all approve.
With due respect, a Church can be set up in any building, but this one is unique, part of the miltary heritage of the Town, and has the wonderful acoustic facility which might be hard to reproduce elsewhere, if indeed the Local Authorities ever bother to try!
For anyone who has not been in this building, I would say that it is also a light and open space, not at all what one would expect from a Church of the Victorian era.
Give it a go, stand up and do something for the Town which will be appreciated by generations to come. Give the Town a good name for its musical facilities. Don't sit and shrug and think that "someone else will do something" - that is where Colchester slides into the mud of the River Colne!