Plans to create a new church hall in an Aberdeenshire village have been approved – more than two years after members of the congregation came up with the idea.
The former church hall in Newmachar was sold off by the Kirk more than 50 years ago, and has been used as a car repair garage, coach and taxi business and for storage since then.
But about two years ago, Newmachar Church Session bought the building on School Road and revealed plans to bring it back to life as a church hall, to open up their activities to the wider community.
The plans were approved in 2013, but the final cost for the ambitious project meant the session had to think again.
They submitted revised proposals to demolish the existing hall and erect a more affordable modern, single-storey hall.
Now the plans have been approved, despite some local residents questioning why another venue was needed when the new £1.3million Axis Community Hall is just across the road.
But night session clerk Bill Campbell insisted the project was about more than just creating another hall, and would help the church reach out to Newmachar residents.
He said: “We’ve been involved in this project for some time, it’s been a real struggle.
“We’re very happy that we have got the building and the planning permission so now we need to get our project team going and take it to the next stage, thinking about ideas and activities we can use in the centre.
“It’s not just a matter of creating another hall, we’re trying to open up the church and reach out into the community. A lot of people are a bit shy about coming to church, they see it as old-fashioned, but if we build up some new ideas maybe we can attract someone to it. It’s also a way of meeting people.”