CHURCH leaders have heralded plans to rebuild a Selby chapel as good for its congregation and the community.

Selby United Charities last week revealed plans to transform the run-down St Richard's Church, in Woodville Terrace, after councillors lifted a covenant allowing development on the land.

As reported in The Press, the proposal includes low-cost housing and a new church building to replace the dilapidated hall.

The Rev Keith Jukes, vicar of Selby Abbey, said: "We warmly welcome the plan, which we have been working on for some time. We believe it makes the best use of the site - both for the local community in Abbots Road and for the church.

"The plan includes provision for new homes to rent, but also a substantial meeting room, which can be used by both residents and ourselves.

"We will use it for worship, continuing the life and work of St Richard. While the building is in a bad state and has to come down, we have continued holding worship there, and there is a dedicated group of people who make up the congregation. I'm sure it will be a well used facility."

Rev Jukes, who leaves Selby to become the Dean of Ripon on January 28, said he was excited about the scheme. He said: "I am only sorry that we have got the go-ahead a bit too late for me to see it through to fruition."

The Rev Gareth Wardell, curate of Selby Abbey, said: "There is a wonderfully faithful congregation at St Richard's, drawn mainly from the Abbots Road estate, that meets for worship every week.

"Obviously, some of our parishioners will be sad to see the demolition of a church building and hall they worked so hard to see built. However, the real church is not the building, but the people."

Selby United Charities will use more than £1 million raised from the sale of the former Whisker's fruit and vegetable shop, in Gowthorpe, and another store, to fund the scheme.

At a meeting on January 9, members of Selby District Council voted to lift a clause included when it gave the land to the charity that it be used only as a place of worship.

That motion gave the green-light for part of the site to be used for housing to raise income for Selby United Charities, which groups together a number of charities in the town.