Plans to demolish St Annes synagogue for new apartment block

Plans have been lodged with Fylde Council to raze the St Annes Hebrew Congregational Synagogue on Orchard Road and replace it with a smaller synagogue and a three storey block of ten apartments.

The religious site was built in the 1950s but a dwindling congregation has resulted in the proposals being made.

As part of the documents submitted with the application, it states: “The existing Synagogue has a capacity of 360 attendees however now the Synagogue only has 180 members where a typical attendance on a Saturday is 35.

“The demographic of the community is mature and losing members at a rate of ten per year with few new members attracted each year.

“The current synagogue is far larger than required and with maintenance costs increasing and members reducing the smaller proposed facility will be more economically viable.”

If approved the new synagogue would be built next to the apartment block.

The block itself with have two storeys of two-bedroom apartments and a third storey with two larger three-bedroom apartments.

A car park will also be built however the statement states that the main use of the synagogue is on the Sabbath when the use of cars by worshippers is not permitted .

Only one or two car parking spaces are allocated to the Synagogue with the remainder for the residents who live in the apartment.

Planning officers at Fylde Council will now consider the application and proposals.