Plans have been approved for a new place of worship south of Reading after Shinfield Baptist Church was given permission to demolish some buildings and build a replacement.
The scheme is estimated to cost about £1 million, and the church says it has raised more than £100,000 in the past year.
Leaders say the current buildings are too small and dilapidated, and the congregation now meets at Alder Grove School on Sunday mornings.
The project will be done in two phases. The existing hall will be refurbished first, then demolition and construction of a new building will begin. The church has already secured pre-planning approval to replace a bungalow with a large hall and to refurbish the original chapel into two multi-functional community spaces.
Conditions on the approval include drainage strategy and SuDS design, phased construction management, and parking and cycle provision. The site will also deliver biodiversity net gain via off-site units or credits, use obscure glazing to protect neighbours, and include landscaping, tree protection and ecological mitigation for bats.
Highway safety measures will include a narrowed access and visibility splays as part of the wider works.
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
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