A new church and flats to replace Evelyn Hall near Deptford High Street has been given the green light.

Lewisham Council’s planning committee has granted permission to demolish Evelyn Hall to make way for a one-storey Church and a four-storey building with eight flats, with three votes for, one against, and four abstentions.

A number of objections were made to the development, including concern at the new building’s design  and fears church-goers and new residents would add pressure to parking and local amenities.

But Lewisham Council officers found the buildings would be of “high quality and would have a positive effect on the image of the surrounding area,” a council report said.

“The replacement church has been designed as a bespoke, purpose built, high quality facility that would better suit the needs of the congregation and the local community.”

A parking survey found on a Tuesday evening when the majority of the residents would be home from work, parking stress levels were at 86 per cent.

The applicant, Bible Truth Church of God, will also have to give all flat residents a car club membership for at least three years.

Car clubs are short-term car rental service and offer an alternative model to private car ownership for individuals and businesses.

The applicant will also have to provide 17 secure cycle parking spaces and refuse storage.

The developments will see two one-bed, five two-bed, and one three-bed flat.

The existing building, Evelyn Hall, is single storey with a steeply pitched roof and was formerly known as the Evelyn Mission Hall.

The building dates from the late 19th century and has been used as a church by Bible Truth Church of God since 1975.

It is in “poor repair” with some “dilapidated outbuildings”, the council report said.

It serves a congregation of around 50 people.