St James' at Norton is looking for a deal with housing developers to help finance the relocation and improvement of its community facilities.

But the latest in a series of schemes to demolish the old church hall and youth hall off Norton Lane to make way for housing has been thrown out again because councillors say the proposed block of apartments would still be too prominent in such a sensitive location, part of the Norton Conservation Area and near listed buildings.

The Rector of St James', the Rev Geoffrey White, said the church was naturally disappointed that the council had rejected the most recent application by Jaguar Estates, despite the authority's own officers recommending it should be approved.

"We shall be supporting Jaguar, should they decide to appeal to the Secretary of State," said Mr White.

The saga has seen two housing schemes withdrawn and now two refused in the last five years, the previous one last January because of the proposed development's "excessive scale, massing and bulk".

Councillors ruled that the latest amendments to the plans, for a two and three-storey block of 18 apartments, were insufficient to tip the balance.

Planning board chairman Coun John Hesketh said this week: "Although the design was better, they hadn't addressed the issue of its size.

"There needs to be a solution and there can be a solution provided the applicants recognise that the central issue is the size and scale. Local residents and councillors are keen in principle to see some development on the site but not on this scale."

The church has already relocated community facilities, including youth and pre-school groups, to the Chantry Centre in the former Norton Free School in Matthews Lane. But the building is only leased from the Diocese of Sheffield, which has also provided a bridging loan to cover construction costs.

Mr White said the church needs the £500,000 from Jaguar Estates to pay the Diocese and to carry out the development strategy, including the creation of more storage space for the Scouts and Guides and freeing up another meeting room for the community.

The rector said he was especially disappointed that the council planning board had rejected the latest application against the professional advice of its own staff, after Jaguar had spent months liaising with them "and implementing their precise requirements".

He added: "I personally would also like to register our dismay at the perception among some of the community that our motives are 'greedy'.

On the contrary, the people at St James' are committed to serving the folk of Norton, Jordanthorpe and Batemoor, not least by preserving and updating the historic buildings in its care, without recourse to public funds.

"We only wish to maximise the value of our property to ensure modern and sustainable facilities for the whole community, including the disabled, and believe that Jaguar's plan for the site enables us to offer all that, while enhancing what Pevsner describes as 'by far the most rewarding of the villages round Sheffield'."

Councillors took into account differing community opinion in making their decision. Although there were no objections to the demolition of the existing halls, concerns were raised over the impact of their replacement on the conservation area and the traffic implications. Some critics claimed that the replacement community facilities were unsuitable.

Supporters of the housing scheme said the current church halls are in a poor condition and are a drain on church finances, maintaining that the new community facilities are an improvement.



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