A FORMER church might be turned into apartments after a developer submitted a change of use application. 

Applicant Lee Davies wants to convert the former Methodist Church in Dalton into four two-bedroom apartments and a single one-bedroom apartment. The attached Sunday School would be converted into two three-bedroom terraced homes. 

Agent Ian Whalley, of Lakeland Architectural, has submitted a planning proposal to Westmorland and Furness Council and a public consultation will run until June 27.  The Mail: The front of the Sunday School, which has been included in the proposalThe front of the Sunday School, which has been included in the proposal (Image: Westmorland and Furness Planning Portal)

Work has not begun on the 437-square-metre site. 

According to the planning documents, the Wellington Street Church and Sunday School stopped being used on January 1, 2016. 

The design and access statement says: "The Methodist Church was constructed in 1864 as a detached building. The Sunday School was then added in 1868 as an infill development between the Methodist Church and 22 Wellington Street. 

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"The buildings were closed in 2016 when the Methodist Church of Great Britain became an ecumenical partnership with the United Reformed Church, resulting in its relocation to the Market Street Methodist Church. The buildings have been vacant ever since."

The statement says that the buildings are neither listed nor located in the Dalton Conservation Area, however it recognised the historic importance of the site.

It said: "Therefore, in assessing whether or not to propose their demolition and replacement with new build resident dwellings, the decision has been made to retain these buildings and convert them with minimal alteration. 

"This will ensure that the buildings are brought into a viable modern day use, whilst still paying homage to their history."

However, the proposal says that all existing external doors and windows need to be replaced due to being 'beyond the realms of reasonable repair.' It also stated that the fixed pane windows are not acceptable in terms of ventilation and fire escape provision, and have a very low thermal performance value. 

The development has no external curtilage or off-street parking but the developer argued that this is acceptable given that the proposal relates to a property in the town centre.

Lakeland Architectural is based in Dalton.