Councillors approved plans to complete the Killingworth church after a century and a half, despite local concerns.
They want to build an extension on the north side. The plan includes a new entrance, and they also want to add toilet facilities. The council got the plans earlier this year. The church needed £600,000 for work.
Some people aren’t too happy about it. The Killingworth residents worry about parking space, and the Victorian Society thinks the design is off. They want it more in line with the old church.
However, council officers said it was okay. They said the roads wouldn’t get too crowded, and they also felt the church’s charm remained.
One councillor said churches are closing down all over. He thinks this helps the church stay open and helping people visit matters to him.
Another councillor disagreed, as he thinks the addition will look odd. The church sits in a protected area.
The church is Grade II listed. It was started way back in 1869. They never finished the north side. It has an unfinished look, they say.