Plans approved to turn Wolverhampton church into antiques emporium
Plans to transform a landmark church with links to Wolves into an antiques emporium have been given the green light by council chiefs.
The £1.1 million scheme for St Luke's Church in Blakenhall has been approved by Wolverhampton council bosses.
Grade II listed St Luke’s closed its doors eight years ago and has been the subject of a campaign to stop it from being bulldozed.
The church was opened in 1861 and is next to St Luke’s School which was the birth place of St Luke’s FC which went on to become Wolves.
Simon Linfold, from developer Czero Developments, said work to fit out the inside of the church will start within weeks – and the building could be ready to open in its new guise by February.
The sale of the building from the Diocese of Lichfield to the developer will cost £1.
Mr Linfold said: "We're really pleased and just want to get cracking now.
"We will start doing bits and pieces inside as soon as we can – we'll be starting to move things on really quite soon.
"There's not an enormous amount to do to turn it into what we want.
"It's not going to involve cranes and diggers.
"We'd hope to be open in the new year, perhaps by the start of February."
