Plans to permanently change a former workshop into a place of worship have been given the green light despite a backlash over parking.

The proposals for The Maltings, in Gravesend, were passed through at last week’s planning committee meeting by councillors.

On behalf of the City Praise Centre which is next door, applicant Michael Coveney submitted plans to permanently change the use of the site from offices, a showroom and a workshop to mixed-use education and place of religious worship.

The Maltings, in Lower Higham Road, has had temporary permission granted since 2017 but the most recent application was called in by a councillor.

In the submitted planning statement, Mr Coveney stated the Christian church and independent charity wanted to extend to the site next door “to cope with the growth in attendance” and support its other activities such as family groups and pastoral care.

The church has around 325 members but only 57 car parking spaces, which both Kent County Council (KCC) and Gravesham council’s highways officers raised concerns over.

According to Gravesham council’s planning report, an agreement is in place with the nearby North Kent College to use 77 of its parking spaces on Sundays, yet this expired in January, and another with Westcourt Primary and Nursery School for 100 additional spaces.

There is also on-street parking options along Dering Way and Lower Higham Road.

But KCC was worried as the agreement with the college had lapsed it would lead to a “significant number of vehicles” parking in the street as there are no restrictions which would cause a “highway safety issue and severe congestion”.

In its travel plan, the church said although Sunday is its busiet day, it had not seen anyone parking on the street and it has a dedictaed team to stop those that do.

Planning officers also said it would be “unreasonable” to refuse the application on these grounds as there has not been any issues during the tempoarary-use periods.

However, they added the applicant would need to secure parking provisions since the agreement with the college had ended for the application to be approved.

Despite the parking issues, the plans were delegated to the head of planning to grant permission subject to conditions and the completion of a section 106 for parking provisions.