Former Mossley church may be converted

A FORMER Mossley church will be converted into a house if planning permission is granted.

Tameside Council has received an application to change Abney United Reformed, on Huddersfield Road in Micklehurst, into a five-bedroomed property.

Graham Brierley, who lives in Ashton, is behind the scheme on the building, which has stood unused since April 2017.

As well as the bedrooms, what is currently a kitchen will become an office and a games room will be incorporated.

Abney Church | Photo by Gemma Carter

New lights would also be placed on the roof if the development gets the go ahead.

Abney United Reformed Church Occasional Congregational Services were held in Mossley, from about 1838 by the Rev Giles Hoyle of Stalybridge and a Mr Smith of Denton.

By 1852, the church had started regular services in a room at Britannia Mill and George Lawton was one of the two Deacons appointed when its membership roll was formally opened.

In 1972, the Congregational Church united with the Presbyterian Church of England to form the United Reformed Church, and Abney joined the union.

By 1981, the church recognised its former buildings at Abney Road were no longer suitable to the changed needs of the congregation and it moved to the Huddersfield Road site in July 1982.

Before it closed in 2017, it was home to the Abney Orchestra for 13 years. After it shout its doors, it has been based at what is now The Vale on Micklehurst Road.

Tameside Council’s Speakers Panel (Planning) committee will decide whether to grant or refuse planning permission.

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