A group of Catholics is fighting a rearguard action in support of a plan to redevelop the Catholic national shrine near Walsingham.
The group, described as consisting of “regular pilgrims” to the shrine, has appealed against the East Anglia Historic Churches Committee’s (HCC) refusal of listed building consent for the development. The appellants accuse the HCC of procedural irregularities including “failing to ensure public notice and consultation”.
The Walsingham Trust, chaired by the Bishop of East Anglia, Alan Hopes, withdrew a planning application to North Norfolk District Council on 7 August. As well as the HCC’s decision, there were objections from Historic England, the local parish council and others. Much criticism focused on the scale and design of a proposed new church by Catholic architect Anthony Delarue, which, it was said, would dwarf the tiny Grade I-listed Slipper Chapel nearby.
Bishop Hopes is now in the unusual position of being required to arbitrate in an appeal concerning a planning application which has been withdrawn.
An HCC spokesperson said: “Should this appeal go ahead it is hard to see what benefit for pil- grims will be achieved. The Walsingham Trust have already withdrawn the original proposal and stated that they wish to develop a new one which will meet their future needs and those of the local community and satisfy the requirements of statutory bodies. The HCC is ready to assist in this process.”
Asked what they hoped to achieve, lead appellant Andrew Cusack said: “We hope to make sure that Historic Churches Committees across the country operate according to their statutes and within the law rather than arbitrarily ... If our appeal also helps get the plans to update Walsingham back on track, then all the better.”
Mr Cusack is chairman of Catholics in the Conservative Party. Other appellants include architectural historian Michael Hodges, London soup kitchen organiser Kate MacKenzie, and general practitioner Dr Stuart Reiss.
The consultation period for the Walsingham application occurred during the coronavirus pandemic when the government forbade the erection of public notices. The planning application appeared on the HCC website and on the website of North Norfolk District Council where it attracted more than 100 submissions including favourable comments from a number of the appellants.
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