A COMMUNITY group behind a project to bring a disused church back into use has been give more time to draw up its plans.

The St John’s Next Gen group in Coleford wants to transform the town’s former parish church into an arts centre.

The Diocese of Glou- cester has put St John’s Church on the market, but says the community group can have until the end of January to demonstrate it has a viable plan.

Chair of St John Next Gen, Cllr Marilyn Cox, said the Church had asked for five points to be addressed – and that public support for the project is vital.

She said: “Things are ticking over but there are crucial things that have to be achieved.

“That will give us the answer as to whether we can make a real arts centre out of the church.

“They want to see that there are people in and around Coleford who support it – how many members we have.

“We need to show we have people on board, so they could become members of the association.

“There is going to be a meeting in January to say where we are before we put the final report into the diocese.”

The diocese also wants evidence of community take-up of what would be on offer in the centre.

The group also has to have conceptual drawings available by the deadline of the reconfigured church.

Credible sources of funding for the conversion will have to be shown as well as what partnerships will be established.

There is currently a committee working with volunteers and professionals to meet the challenge.

The Coleford town councillor added: “The committee recognises the scale of this and needs to raise funds to carry out these tasks.

“There are only nine of us on the committee – it’s about finding enough people to do the different jobs. We need people who are creative in the widest sense of the word.

“We’ve had a number of donations and in-kind help, but we need to get more people on board.”

The drawings, which are key to the success of the project moving forward, are being drawn up by architect Philip Belchere.

Cllr Cox said: “We’ve been very lucky with the professionals – they have been enthusiastic with their attitude and their time.”

The group has received a grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund for a viability study and applications for funding have also been made to

other bodies.

A public meeting at which the group will outline the progress made will be held at the Main Place in Coleford towards the end of January.

Overlooking the town, St John’s is a landmarkbuilding.

It was started in 1878 and contains many intricate details, but is in need of major repair.

A valuation of the building put a £500,000 price tag on it, but the diocese has said it will consider other independent valuations.

Further fund-raising events are planned. To find out more visit www.stjohnsnextgen.co.uk or search for the group on its Facebook page.