LETTER: Decision should be made on use

Barry Turnwell gives a good and balanced response to Mr Lynott's letter about knocking down all but one church. However we see on page 6 of today's Bexhill Observer part of the problem in this area of planning. St Andrew's church closed in December 2011. Five years later it's still there an unused empty building. Why?

Because people want to look at the outside of the building as they live close by. Are we honestly saying that church buildings should be saved, not because anyone wants to attend a service or activity run by the church?

Or even go in for an private hire activity for the community, not run by the church? But we now decide planning applications on the views of people walking or driving past. Sadly the beautiful old churches are not cost effective. Repairs and heating take all the collection money leaving nothing to run activities for the community.

Yes we need to knock a few more down, keep the best and use them seven days a week, and looking to the future build some super modern churches with lower running costs. Better to lose half of those 20 churches now and build a couple of modern churches to replace them, than slowly see numbers drop and end up with even less.

Paul Minter

Constable Way

Bexhill

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