Historic Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel at Risk

09 July 2008         Category:  Sutton Churches, St.Helens
Great concern is being expressed in Sutton Oak by proposals to build a large-scale housing development on land between Sutton Road and Baxters Lane. It's being claimed that plans submitted by developers Bovis Homes will mean that the proposed housing estate of a total of 214 homes will encroach on the historic Grade 11 Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel in Lancots Lane. As the development would occupy part of the former Hays Chemicals site, objections are also being made on the grounds that the multi-million pound project would prove hazardous and unsafe.

Paul Jones, the dynamic Chairman of the Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Preservation Society, has written to Sutton Beauty & Heritage appealing for the local community to object to these proposals:
 Pasted Graphic 1 We need urgent help!!!!!!!! Please help us Sutton. We must object to this. 1) We would lose light to the right hand side of the building. 2) It would shake the poor old building to bits, within its foundations. 3) It just would not look right whatsoever, with a new building towering over our Welsh chapel. It is just simply not plausible. We need the power of Sutton behind us to object to this insane proposal. SUTTON HELP US!!!  Pasted Graphic 3

A Planning Application outside the historic Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel
A planning application outside the Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel

The Routledge Group who own the former Hays Chemical site nearby have already raised an objection with St.Helens Council's Planning Department on health and safety grounds claiming that there are hazardous substances still on the Hays site which could put the residents of this new development at risk. The Health and Safety Executive have already, apparently, advised against planning permission being granted and the Environment Agency have also objected.

However, it is still possible that the Council could give these plans the green light and so Paul Jones is calling a meeting at the Welsh Chapel on Saturday July 12th at 2.30pm to explain the proposals and how they will impact on the historic building. All are invited to attend.

The plans can be viewed here where you are also able to comment on the application and raise an objection.

Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel public meeting notice

UPDATE 19/07/08 A second public meeting of local residents is being called for Saturday 9th August at 2.30pm. Local councillors are expected to be in attendance and the meeting will discuss a proposed protest march from Morrisons supermarket in Baxters Lane to the Welsh chapel.