Disused Wetherby medical clinic could be become church for congregation now meeting in converted garage

Wetherby Road Gospel Hall Trust has put forward plans to move into the former Wetherby Osteopaths site. The osteopaths in York Road, Wetherby, has now closed, according to its website, with all its therapists having moved to a new venue. As a result, the Gospel Hall Trust – part of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church – wants to use the empty building as a place of worship on Sundays, as well as some weeknights.

According to its planning application, “the community currently worships in a converted garage at one of the homes” belonging to a church member. The application added: “The garage is small and cannot accommodate all the members of the community as desired. These premises are therefore not suited to meet the existing needs and larger, more appropriately located premises are required.”

The church said that the need for the old osteopaths site “is driven by the requirement for a larger hall” nearer to church members’ homes. They also said that under their plans, the venue would be in use for fewer hours a week than when it was a clinic. A decision on whether or not to approve the plans will be made by Leeds City Council at a later date.