Preston church tower faces demolition over safety fears
The tower at St Joseph’s Old Church presbytery has been described as being in a “significant state of disrepair and deterioration"
A tower atop a Preston church building is set to be demolished after “extensive defects” were uncovered.
The structure forms part of St. Joseph’s Old Church presbytery on Caroline Street in the St. Matthew’s area of the city.
An application has been lodged with Preston City Council to remove the feature from the unlisted site.
The building – which stands just yards away from the Grade II-listed St. Joseph’s Catholic Church itself, on Skeffington Road – currently contains a first-floor flat and a children’s nursery at ground level. No internal areas of the tower are in use – and scaffolding has already been erected around it.
A design statement submitted to town hall planners reveals that the tower is “in a significant state of disrepair and deterioration”.
It adds: “A number of external elements, including sections of the sandstone detailing, have cracked, weathered and become detached over time. Areas of brickwork have also suffered from cracking and spalling, further contributing to the overall poor condition of the tower.
“Due to the extent of the deterioration, the structure now presents an increasing maintenance and safety concern.
“While repair options were considered, the level of remedial works required, together with the associated financial implications, are beyond the means of the Church. As such, demolition of the tower has been identified as the most practical, safe, and sustainable solution in order to remove the ongoing risk presented by the deteriorating structure and to secure the long-term future of the building.”
The proposed work will involve demolishing the spire tower down to the level of the existing flat roof – which will then be extended to create a consistent covering across that section of the building.
The adjacent pitched roof, which currently abuts the tower, will be retained and finished with a newly-designed gable wall to provide “a suitable and visually coherent termination following the removal of the tower”, the design statement explains.