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Leicester Church to Install Netting to Prevent Falling Masonry

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A 19th-century church in Leicester, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, will be fitted with netting to catch falling masonry after the building's external walls began to crumble. The church has been standing on the corner of London Road and University Road since the 1850s, but due to weathered masonry, the risk of injury from falling debris has become a concern. The church board submitted a plan to Leicester City Council's planning team, which was approved with conditions, including the removal of the netting by August 2028, concurrent with the restoration of the crumbling masonry and mortar.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Seventh Day Adventist Church, a Grade II-listed building, has been undergoing repair efforts due to weathered masonry.
  • The church board submitted a plan to install netting on the outer walls to catch falling masonry, citing concerns over the timing for a major renovation.
  • The netting will be a "discreet fine mesh" and is accepted by conservation specialists as a visually acceptable, reversible solution.
  • Leicester City Council's planning team approved the plan with conditions, including the removal of the netting by August 2028.
  • The council's conditions include preserving the character and appearance of the listed building by limiting drilling to the mortar rather than the brickworks.
  • The church board must seek consent for an extension from the council before the proposed restoration work is undertaken.

Statistics:

  • The Seventh Day Adventist Church has been standing on the corner of London Road and University Road since the 1850s.
  • The netting will be installed to prevent injuries from falling masonry.
  • The netting must be removed by August 2028, concurrent with the restoration of the crumbling masonry and mortar.
  • The church board was granted approval from Leicester City Council's planning team, led by CEO Grant Butterworth.

Sources:

  • No external source mentioned.

Note: As the original text does not mention any external sources, the **Sources** section remains empty.

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