Manchester City Council planning officers have recommended approval for a new 5,200 sq ft church building in Blackley, which is expected to attract around 1,000 attendees each Sunday.
World Mission Agency, which currently holds services on Broughton Lane in Salford, purchased the site on Chain Road in north Manchester and submitted plans for the development in January 2025. The organisation said its current building was not fit for purpose and intends to demolish the former Convent of the Good Shepherd to build an 'ultra-modern' facility.
Objections and recommendations
The initial application received 24 objections from local residents and schools, but was recommended for approval in a report published on August 19. Officers described the proposal as a 'well-designed modern building' which 'meets the needs' of church users.
The plans detail a two-storey building around 5,200 sq ft in size, including a large chapel, offices, children's classrooms, a youth development centre, wellness centre/gym, bookshop, and a restaurant/café. The development is expected to create ten jobs and 20 volunteer positions.
Ancillary facilities like the café and bookshop would be 'open to the public on a managed basis' but primarily for church users. The building will operate as a place of worship between 8am and 8pm Monday to Saturday, and between 10am and 3pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. A daily prayer group will run at 6am Monday to Saturday, a two-hour service on Wednesday evenings with around 200 attendees is predicted, and three services will be held on Sundays.
Traffic and parking concerns
Surveys found that around 49% of the approximately 1,050 Sunday attendees travelled by car, with another 29% using minibuses and coaches. The planning application includes 189 new parking spaces, with the church stating car occupancy was 'over four people per car' in family groups. The church also proposes a monthly food bank and free hot drinks for the homeless and 'struggling families' on Saturdays.
Local residents raised concerns about traffic congestion, insufficient parking, air pollution, and the loss of existing convent buildings. One complaint stated: "Bussing in worshippers from other areas will not help to foster community at all. The community here is fractured enough." Two local schools also objected, citing noise, congestion, and loss of trees along the school boundary.
Local Reform councillor Martin Power noted over 100 comments on the Higher Blackley Facebook page with people 'very concerned' about the proposal in an area 'already heavily congested'. Highways recommended that 'Sunday special' services, held five times a year, be capped at 1,100 attendees, with a minimum 45-minute interval between services to aid traffic flow.
Environmental and design considerations
Greater Manchester Ecology Unit recommended the inclusion of 31 trees, and bird and bat boxes on the site. The report said 29 trees will be removed but 61 will be added. The planning document stated the site's prior use as a convent and care home 'reflects a longstanding established religious use'. The existing building was described as past its lifespan and needing extensive works, with the benefits of the development outweighing the loss of the former convent.
The design palette was described as 'predominantly traditional in nature', with bronze effect cladding inspired by Nigerian artwork and motifs used in a pastor's robes. The report did not 'envisage' privacy or disturbance issues, and a new hedge and 2.4m acoustic fencing to the north and east would reduce noise levels. A condition of approval would prevent external transmission of loudspeakers and tannoys.
A traffic management plan has been submitted to manage 'the highest traffic volumes' with volunteer organisers along Chain Road directing attendees to parking. Church services will not coincide with peak operating hours of adjacent schools and local roads. The report recommended the scheme for approval before it goes to committee on August 27.
