Derelict 'church in the woods' sold at auction

A derelict Grade II listed church located in a wooded area of Leeds has been sold at auction.

St Mary's In The Wood United Reformed Church on Commercial Street in Morley sold for £100,000 earlier this week, auctioneers BTG Eddisons confirmed.

The 19th Century building has not been used for worship since 2008 and fell into disrepair after sustaining extensive fire damage two years later.

A previous planning application lodged with Leeds City Council which has since lapsed proposed the site could be repurposed into a hotel, restaurant and car park.

Later plans to transform the fire-damaged church into 18 apartments also did not come to fruition.

The fire started about 02:30 BST in June 2010 and caused 20 people living nearby to be evacuated to a nearby supermarket due to fears the church steeple could collapse.

In 2023, Leeds City Council purchased the nearby former Sunday School building, which was built in 1900, for use as a "learning and skills centre".

However, the older, Gothic revival-style building, built in 1878, has remained vacant for more than 15 years.

BTG Eddisons could not disclose whether St Mary's was bought by a commercial or private buyer.

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