Fresh plans have been submitted to build a new church in Newquay.

The Mid Cornwall Methodist Circuit have amended their plans to construct a place of worship and a community facility on a vacant site in Pargolla Road.

An earlier design for the Newquay Community Church Centre, then across two storeys, was given the go-ahead in September.

The new proposal locates all occupiable spaces in one storey at ground level.

The Rev Clare Anderson said: “We have changed architect since the initial application and the project has taken on a whole new lease of life.

“The new amended project includes much more environmental sustainability and better reflects our vision to offer a space for the local community.

“We envisage the outside green spaces being available to all and offering a haven of peace whether or not people venture into the building.

“Of course, we do hope people will come in and will be consulting with the community about what that could look like.”

APG, on behalf of the Mid Cornwall Methodist Circuit, said: “The brief is to provide a community centre and place of worship for Newquay Methodist Church.

“The centre will provide a support hub for both the community and church at all times, accessible for use by groups in the local community even when the church facilities are not required.

“The centre looks to provide a drop-in service, enabling people to safely enjoy elements of the gardens and cafe facilities.

“The building is designed to be highly sustainable and energy efficient.

“The proposal maintains the same size of 244 sqm gross internal area, with slightly reduced massing.

“The volume maintains a position on the western side of the site, appropriate to the scale and form of its context.

“Where the previous scheme provided 11 car parking spaces, the proposal allows for 12 with potential for more.

“The addition of EV (electric vehicle) charging points improves on the sustainable travel principles.

“The building comprises two wings. The services and more private office spaces wrap around one wing tucked into the bank; the welcoming kitchen table zone, public community space and worship space form the other wing, facing toward the public street.

“These zones are visually linked through cloister-esque windows which encourage people to perch on their deep window sills to enjoy a coffee, both inside and out.

“The hipped roof form is now split into two hipped volumes, which sit with the majority of the massing much lower than the previous scheme.

“Where the design previously featured a dark metal roof, it is now proposed as a hipped slate roof volume, using vernacular Cornish materials in keeping with the local materiality.

“Integrated photo-voltaic/ solar panels will sit within the southern orientated roofscapes, blending with the character of the slate roof finish.

“The facades are clad in timber with the addition of horizontally-arranged Cornish slate profiles.”

Newquay Town Council’s planning committee voted to support the new church plans at its meeting last Wednesday.

Councillor Joanna Kenny, the committee chairman, said: “They already had permission for a rather boring two-storey block on the site.

“Their redesign makes it an L-shape of one storey only, with extra climate change and biodiversity options, and a raised garden at the back adjacent to a garden roof.

“They even provided one more (at least) parking places.

“I particularly welcome the greening along the boundary with Pargolla Road.”