Delights as Coptic Church plans withdrawn from Solihull Council
2/12/2010
RESIDENTS are celebrating after plans to transform a local church into Coptic Orthodox Church, were withdrawn at the 11th hour.
The application was due to go before Solihull planners last night, Wednesday, but was pulled after Birmingham Airport raised concerns about the height of the building which has been empty for two years.
Many residents were in uproar about plans to build a 17 metre tower and put a dome on top of St Ninian’s in Caldwell Grove.
Eric Hall, who went door-to-door collecting signatures, said the main concern was traffic.
“When St Ninian’s was a United Reformed Church, it was used by local families who tended to walk to the service.
“In this case, there would be over 200 worshippers driving in and that would cause major problems. There were also worries about access for the ambulance station in Hermitage Road.”
John Docherty, of Redlands Road, said the decision came as a big relief to local people.
“We’ve got nothing against the site carrying on as a church but this development was just too big.”
A spokesman for Birmingham Airport said: “The proposed development raised some issues in respect of the overall height.”
Council officers had argued the development was acceptable, although it had asked for extra surveys into the parking situation.
