Wakefield district religious hall to be converted into offices

The application relates to a detached building, currently occupied by the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, located to the south of the junction of Dearden Street, Ventnor Way and Queen Street.

The site is just outside the Ossett town centre boundary but is designated as lying within the Ossett Conservation Area.

The plans include installing windows in the blocked up sections on the ground floor level at the rear, the replacement of a door with a window on the lower ground level at the rear, and the installation of two windows along the east side.

Built in around 1864, the site has its origins in the rag trade.

A heritage statement provided on behalf of the applicant says: “The recovery of woollen products was common across West Yorkshire and the rag and mungo trade was Ossett's primary industry.

"During the 1800s around 20 cloth mills were built in the town, with the first shoddy being produced in 1813, and this activity increased over the course of the century.

"It is understood that the rag trade continued to prosper during the early 20th century, but suffered due to the closure of local mills and foreign competition.

"The industry is reported to have ceased by around 1970.

"In recent decades, the site has been used as a place of worship- since around 19769 and was extended to create disabled access in the 1990s.

"However, the Ossett Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses was amalgamated into The Kingdom Hall Trust in March 2022 and the building is now surplus to requirements.

"It has been purchased by the applicant to help meet their expanding business needs and will provide accommodation for this local business.”

A case officer report from council planning officers said the plans “would positively contribute to, and preserve, the character and setting of the Ossett Conservation Area”.

It said: “The proposal has been assessed against national and local planning policies and guidance and is considered to be acceptable having regards to design and heritage impacts, residential amenity, highways safety, land stability and contamination, drainage and flood risk and ecology matters.”