A new church gospel hall for members of Norfolk's Plymouth Brethren Christian community could be built next-door to the Postwick Hub.

Norwich Evening News: RLEPL Ltd, which represents the religious group, has lodged plans to build on land to the east of Oaks Lane in Postwick, near Norwich. Photo: GoogleRLEPL Ltd, which represents the religious group, has lodged plans to build on land to the east of Oaks Lane in Postwick, near Norwich. Photo: Google (Image: Archant)

RLEPL Ltd, which represents the religious group, has lodged plans to build on land to the east of Oaks Lane in Postwick, near Norwich.

The facility would replace an existing meeting hall on Green Lane West in Rackheath, which is currently used by the Brethren community.

Planning documents submitted to Broadland District Council state the building would not be available for 'wider community' use or hire.

Lanpro, on behalf of RLEPL Ltd, said: 'The current church building the community use is already over capacity and does not allow for the future growth needs, so a new site is required to accommodate this.

'The church has predicted their growth to increase by 4pc each year up to 2020.'

There are around 190 people in the Norwich Brethren community. The religious group describes itself as a 'worldwide fellowship of Christians which commenced in 1827'.

Planning consultants Lanpro said the Norwich Brethren community had been searching for a new meeting hall for a number of years.

It said 23 other sites have been considered since March 2015.

The Postwick site covers 3.16 hectares of greenfield land, and would include a car park with 174 spaces.

Lanpro said the church will operate services weekly on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Friday, with monthly services on Saturday and Sundays.

On weekdays, services are in the evening, with the earliest starting around 6.15pm.

The current catchment for the Norwich congregation extends from Acle to Long Stratton.

Lanpro said the Postwick site was conveniently located centrally between those areas and allows easy access to the A47.

Access to the hall would be from an existing field entrance from Oaks Lane, which would be widened to 5.5m.

The gospel hall will be designed in a 'barn style', featuring red brick and composite timber.

'The use of the hall and car park will be reserved for the congregation only,' planning documents state.

For more information, search application 20180504.