The derelict former Archway Methodist Hall

A PLANNING feud has been reignited in Archway as the owners of a long-vacant church seek permission to build a six-storey office block instead of the arts centre that community groups are calling for.

Campaign group Better Archway Forum have been awaiting a council decision on their plans to redevelop the derelict Archway Methodist Hall, on the corner of St John’s Way and Archway Road, into an arts and community centre since 2019.

But building owners Flowervale Properties Limited have made a different planning application – now for the second time – seeking to demolish the site and build offices, a gym, medical space and education or religious space across six storeys.

Flowervale’s first attempt to turn the site into offices was rejected in 2019 and refused again by planning inspectors at appeal, but last month it submitted a new application that campaigners say “doesn’t sound so different”.

In a consultation survey about the new plans – commissioned by Flowervale – one respondent called it “a disappointingly bland and ‘beige’ proposal which fails to represent the importance of this location”, while another criticised the “quite masculine” exterior of the proposed building.

Architect Adrian Betham, who is working on the arts centre plans with Better Archway Forum, said: “There is no reason that we should be in competition with the owners, but they are only proposing things which are harmful and contrary to planning policies.”

Better Archway Forum’s Kate Calvert said: “The vision for the arts centre is to have multiple groups using the space so you draw in different types of people – it’s not only arty stuff but people doing Taekwondo or teaching each other to crochet. It’s a community centre but with performance space as well.”

Their plans are financially viable, Mr Betham added.

The Methodist hall was built in the 1930s and used by local residents as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War, but has been vacant since 1997.

Flowervale Properties Ltd described their plans as “an opportunity to deliver a sustainable, resource-efficient, and future-proof mixed-use development”.

A document outlining the “community involvement” with the project called it an “exciting opportunity to replace a vacant and dilapidated building with one of high architectural quality”.

It said that nearly 1,000 households were told of the plans via a letter in 2023 and “the majority of those responding were positive”.