St Mark's to go in spring sale?
LDF to decide between cash sale now
- or spiritual investment for future
Lady Sainsbury, President of the Save St Mark’s Action Group has criticised on spiritual and financial grounds the Diocese’s shock recommendation to sell the historic church in North Audley Street, without planning permission, to George Hammer.
The Archdeacon of Charing Cross, the Venerable Dr W M Jacob, who has responsibility for Mayfair parishes, wrote to Lady Sainsbury, President of the Save St Mark’s campaign this week, saying he wants to sell ‘with immediate effect’ to millionaire tycoon George Hammer – despite the rejection of Hammer’s plans by Westminster City Council and the overwhelming support of local people in December.
But Lady Sainsbury has criticised the Diocese’s business model. In her reply to the Archdeacon, she said:
‘Your business model of granting long leases or selling off the capital assets of the Church as opposed to generating income is one with which I and my colleagues cannot agree.’
The Archdeacon’s letter, released to the press on Wednesday morning (11 March), announced plans to bring the proposed sale to the Diocesan Finance Committee for approval ‘shortly’. That is thought likely to be 16 March (Monday) at a specially-convened meeting set to ‘respond to the recession’ for which there are no agenda papers.
It means the Diocese is prepared to get shot of the building without waiting for any appeal into the necessary planning permission to change the church’s use to a wellness centre.
The campaign, overwhelmingly supported by local celebrities, restaurateurs, peers and Peabody tenants – as well as by the unanimous vote of the local planners - is devastated by the decision.
Action Group Co-ordinator Kirk Mitchell, a builder who lives behind the church in the Peabody Estate, described the latest move, and the Archdeacon’s letter, as ‘deplorable’:
‘It appears they now want to rush through a sale and cash in now rather than wait another year while Hammer appeals the hard-fought planning refusal’, he said.
‘When the local council, the community and the church congregation they kicked out have all rejected the proposals for a private business in the building, and where there are ancient covenants that have been wilfully ignored, in order to rush it through for a bit of cash, it is deplorable.’
Hammer declared his intention to appeal directly after the planning meeting, despite a unanimous vote. Under the terms of the lease sale, he would take sole responsibility for the appeal.
The Diocese’s decision also contradicts the covenants imposed by the Grosvenor family who granted the land originally on condition it was used ‘for ecclesiastical purposes for ever’.
One of Britain’s largest Anglican churches, Holy Trinity in Brompton Road, has said on record that it is prepared to rescue the building; and has a long track record of success in taking on empty buildings and reviving flagging congregations.
And the existing lively congregation Commonwealth Christian Fellowship, which had rented the church for 14 years and had offered to pay £40,000 per annum, was locked out in October and the key given to Hammer, despite the planning refusal.
The church building has now been put at risk because it has had to stand empty throughout the winter despite the Diocese’s awareness of the vulnerability of the fabric.
The Diocese has meanwhile been threatened with enforcement action by Westminster Council over its erection of a padlocked fence at the entrance to the church ostensibly to ‘keep out the homeless’ – a move Lady Sainsbury said ‘beggars belief’ for a Christian organisation.