We have been instructed by the Managing Trustees of Otley Methodist Church to find a buyer for the Grade II listed chapel in West Yorkshire. The sale comes as the congregation seeks to move to a more suitable premises for the future needs of their mission. 

Dating back to the 19th century, the property faces onto Otley’s main thoroughfare, Boroughgate, and has significant development potential for a variety of uses, subject to planning permission and other consents. As well as the church itself and the Wesley Hall and various further meeting rooms, the property provides a three-bedroomed cottage. In total the accommodation extends to over 20,000 square feet (1,883 square metres) on a site of 0.466 acre (0.189 hectare).

The disposal of the existing church will enable the congregation to worship in a building more suited to their modern-day requirements, and to operate from to deliver their wider ministry within the community. Hopefully, to include the continuation of providing homes for the Methodist Uniformed Groups and other community groups whom they have previously provided homes to.

Rev Tim Perkins, Superintendent Minister for the Methodist Church, comments:

“The church buildings have provided a great location for over 100 years for Otley people to worship God and to build community with others and we shall be sad to leave them. However, they are of an age and style which now limits what we are able to do as a congregation and they have become a drain on our resources both financially and environmentally. In order to offer a continuing Methodist presence within the community we need to find a smaller, more flexible, less costly home which has a lower carbon footprint as we seek to meet our commitment to becoming a net zero carbon organisation by 2030. We hope to be able to secure a good future not just for the Methodist congregation but also for the church buildings within the town centre.”

Richard Corby, Director at Lambert Smith Hampton, comments:

“We are excited to be marketing this outstanding opportunity to acquire a striking large town centre asset in a bustling community. Redeveloping town centre assets presents a huge opportunity as we continue to adapt uses and future proof communities in the post-pandemic world. We are seeing people come forward with a wide range of proposed uses for the building, so we need to assess what will be suitable.”