A FORMER church dating back to the 1700s looks set to be transformed into a four-bedroom home.

East Lothian Council has given the green light to breathe new life into Innerwick Parish Church, which closed its doors – along with the church in neighbouring Oldhamstocks – two years ago.

Plans from Brian and Barry Moore requested changes to the Category C listed building.

Loose pews will be removed from the ground floor, which will instead host a utility room, dining and kitchen area, lounge and two bedrooms, and an accessible toilet.

Upstairs, two bedrooms with en-suite shower rooms will also be created.

When the plans were submitted, a design and access statement included with the application stated that the proposals “would not negatively impact on the conservation area nor the listed buildings”.

Concerns raised

The local authority’s planning department received two letters of objection to the proposals, which were approved last month.

Concerns included that enlarging the tarmac area as a turning space for cars risked disturbing human remains.

However, changes were made to the drawings “to no longer show any parking within the application site”.

Other worries included the increased use of the exit onto the village’s Main Street, with fears it could “increase the risk of an accident”.

East Lothian Council’s planners approved the scheme and noted: “The proposals would bring the listed building back into sustainable long-term use and secure the future of this historic asset.”

The existing building dates back to 1784.

Since then, “numerous” alterations have been carried out at the church over the years.

The church was refurnished and re-orientated in 1870, when the vestry is thought to have been added.

The design and access statement reads: “In 1994, the Parish of Dunglass was created out of the three parishes of Cockburnspath, Innerwick and Oldhamstocks.

“Cockburnspath is now the only Church of Scotland church in Dunglass Parish, with the closure of Innerwick and Oldhamstocks in 2022.

“Innerwick Parish Church was recorded by the Threatened Building Survey on July 29, 2022.

“The survey was prompted by the proposed closure and sale of the church.

“The purchase of the church was recently completed and is now in the ownership of the applicants.”