Wesley House – formerly the Church of St John – sits off Huddersfield Road and Chapel Lane in the centre of Birstall.
A planning application for flats in the building has been recommended for approval by Kirklees Council officers, subject to the outcome of a bat survey. If bats are found, officers say this would be a “strong” reason for refusal.
Councillors will decide whether the plans can go ahead at a meeting on July 31.
Wesley House is a Grade II-listed building and is located within a conservation area. The applicant – Medipharm Bradford Ltd – says that while the property has been marketed for sale for several years, there has been “little or no interest”. It is now subsequently earmarked for housing.
Planning permission was previously granted to convert the building into 21 units but this has since expired.
Five comments have been made – three in objection, one in support, and one general comment. One local said: “Huddersfield Road is extremely congested as it is, with the local schools even more traffic and cars will be damaging to the area, let alone parking.”
Another wrote: “This former Chapel is an important part of Birstall’s history with its connections to John Nelson so it definitely needs preserving.
“If these apartments are for rent or purchase they will hopefully attract people into the area who may work in surrounding towns and for those commuting via motorway networks.”