A DISUSED church and school in Wincham could soon be bulldozed to make way for two new bungalows.

Lostock Gralam Church Council is asking for permission to demolish St Andrew's Church and school room in Church Street and build two single storey detached homes.

But a Wincham parish councillor is fighting the proposal, because he says it would be destroying an historical building.

"It makes a mockery of all the things people say about preserving heritage," said Clr Frank Smith. "I would say it's laughable if it wasn't so sad."

"The building is the oldest in Wincham, and has been there for more than 100 years."

Apart from being used as a church and a school, the building has also been used by the parish council, Guides, Rainbows and Sunday school.

But when a new school was opened in Linnards Lane, the building became redundant.

Clr Smith explained: "They closed it two years ago quite abruptly and we have been trying to save it ever since without success. We still think it would be put to good use as a public amenity.

"But it's very difficult to get funding to keep this sort of thing open, although there's a lot of support for it."

Clr Smith fears all it comes down to is money.

"We have set up an organisation called The Village Hall Heritage Project and it has tried to negotiate with the local church authorities that they lease the building to us until we have money to buy it. But they turned us down flat."

Wincham Parish Council is now set to oppose the planning application on various counts, including that it will "take an integral part of the village away".

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