A former Catholic church in Seaview could become a boat storage facility 12 years after it closed its doors.
Built in 1957, Holy Cross Church on Seafield Road was used for over 60 years until 2011, when it was then closed due to a lack of congregation. It has remained vacant ever since and has had its religious blessing removed so it can be used for other purposes.
Now, a change of use application has been submitted by V A Warren and Sons, also known locally as Warren Boats or Warrens, to the Isle of Wight Council, to use the old church building for storage and a small workshop.
In planning documents submitted by the company, it says the building has significantly deteriorated while it has been unused and needs rejuvenating.
Warrens, which claims to be the oldest business in the village, has a main base on the Esplanade and other premises around Seaview to store and work on boats as well as the iconic Sea View One Designs (SVODs), classic wooden clinker-built 12-foot sailing dinghies with brightly coloured sails.
The majority of the company’s work is on a fleet of over SVODs and it says it is essential they are stored inside over the winter to ensure they are fully protected. With increasing demand, Warrens says it is looking to take on additional premises in close proximity to its Esplanade headquarters and the church readily lend itself to the needs of the business.
The boating company says the use of the building would help generate additional employment locally. No changes are proposed externally but a storage rack could be installed inside with space for approximately 40 boats.
Some of the services proposed include rubbing down, minor repairs, varnishing and painting, start-of-season rigging and end-of-season washing down.
Limited activity is said to take place between October and May but would ramp up in the summer as the boats came out of storage.
It could be open from 08:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday and 08:00-13:00 on Saturday. You can view the application, 22/01788/FUL, on the council’s planning register. Comments can be submitted until 25th November.
Previous plans to change the church into a house were refused in 2012.
No thank you. Put a family in there instead. Boats. More jobs. I don’t think so. What happened to Isle of Wight resident’s. He who pays wins.
It’s about time that building got used again
Should be considered for conversion to housing /flats first, businesses can use empty units on Industrial estates in Ryde or Sandown or build unit near by on farm.
A pity it couldn’t be turned into a home for down and outs, or social housing
The current thinking of placing such people amongst normal people in the vain hope that they will become better people by emulating them , IF it works, ought to do well in such esteemed society.
But of course this ‘thinking’ is always fine and dandy so long as it’s never near ‘those who matter’
God bless Warren’s and all who sail in her.
What not a home for addicts or care in the community?
No surprise there then.
Would you really like to live next to one? They are a lawless crime hotspot
Good, boat workshop is much more useful than a church.
Agreed on church bit, but Humans needing a home more important than boats for the upper class rich who have their second home here and a Job’s, there are lots of other jobs available around Island.