PLANS are progressing for the demolition of St Paul’s Church in Truro, following the revelation that the only solution to structural problems would be to rebuild the current tower and east end from scratch with new stone.

A public meeting will be held at the Old Cathedral School on Thursday, November 7, from 3.30pm to 7pm, with representatives from the Church Commissioners in attendance to hear views and answer questions from members of the public.

Meanwhile, scaffolding is in place to allow inspection of the stonework, which is believed to be deteriorating quickly, and to keep the road and footpath safe from falling stone.

St Paul’s Church was built in 1845 and noted for its Gothic Revival stained glass scheme. But it closed to worshippers in 2008 following a damning quinquennial review that revealed two challenging structural issues: subsidence, probably related to damage from a Second World War bomb that fell nearby; and crumbling stonework, posing a risk to those using the building.

Solving the subsidence problems has been described as “technically possible but very expensive”. The building also needs a new roof, heating and electrics, costing upwards of £1-million.

The Diocese of Truro and the Church of England have explored options that might give the building a new lease of life. Several groups and individuals have expressed an interest over the years, but in each case, closer examination of the structural problems rendered proposals unviable — even if the building were sold for a token amount.

It has been revealed that the diocese even considered a proposal to dismantle the church piece by piece and rebuild it elsewhere.

However, it is now clear that the Cornish Polyphant stone used to build the church is de-laminating (fracturing into layers), and the only remedy would be to replace it all — in effect, demolishing and rebuilding the tower and east end with new stone.

Diocesan secretary Simon Cade said: “The diocese and the national church are sorry that such a well-loved and beautiful building has now coming to the end of its life. 

“A last-minute buyer with very deep pockets would be faced with the reality of the crumbling stonework and the need to protect passers-by. Even this option would likely have to include the demolition of most of the building.

“We are grateful to our neighbours on Agar Road who have been patient, but while we have been trying to find solutions for the building it has become more dangerous and is now attracting unwanted visitors – from pigeons and children playing to squatters and vandals.”

The Church Commissioners will review any comments or correspondence arising from the notice period before a final decision is made.