Church with £1m repair bill faces uncertain future

A church which has been effectively mothballed is being offered for use on a peppercorn rent, but only if repairs potentially costing £1m are covered.
The Diocese of Middlesbrough has deemed St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, in South Bank, surplus to requirements as it believes there are enough alternatives in the area for worshippers and congregation numbers have fallen.
It is the oldest surviving Catholic church in Middlesbrough and some in the community want to keep the Grade II listed building either for worship or another use.
A report previously commissioned by the diocese described the church, which has not been open since the coronavirus pandemic, as being in a "poor state of repair".
Meanwhile, findings from an inspection said extensive work was required in order to make it safe, windproof and watertight and also remedy problems with dampness.
It stated an outline budget of more than £1m would be needed to cover the cost of work including rewiring, repairs to ceilings, floors and windows, and replacing the roof.
A public meeting organised in March last year by the diocese saw its representatives, including the Bishop of Middlesbrough, Terry Drainey, challenged over the state of the building with the interior said to be well maintained.
Providing an update, a spokesman for the diocese said it had made clear to people "the cost of putting the building into good order was way beyond anything we could afford, and we offered it to them for community use".
"There was some suggestion that a group of local people might be able to raise the money needed and we told them that if they can come up with an alternative use and raise the money for the repairs, then they could have the building for a peppercorn rent.
"All options [including being put up for sale are] open for the future, but at the moment we are giving local people every opportunity to come up with an alternative use and the funding for the repairs needed."
South Bank ward councillor Neil Bendelow previously said closing the church permanently would be a "travesty".
St Peter's opened in 1905, mainly serving Irish workers employed in nearby steelworks, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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