A CHURCH could be forced to remove a new roof built to replace one destroyed by copper thieves – because it went up without planning permission.

Fryerns Baptist Church, in Whitmore Way, Basildon, has nearly completed replacing its copper roof, which was destroyed by thieves who caused more than £30,000 damage.

However, its trustees failed to get planning permission and have now had to make a retrospective application to Basildon Council.

If rejected, the council could serve an enforcement notice ordering the new roof, which is made of a different material, to be removed or rebuilt using the previous materials.

The roof was systematically destroyed by thieves who stripped it of copper over a number of weeks in March.

The church has used a special cladding – which is said to be more secure and less likely to be stolen – instead of copper on the new roof.

Allan Davies, Labour ward councillor for Fryerns, said: “It’s unfortunate the church did not apply for planning permission. Perhaps it was simply an oversight.

“The retrospective planning permission laws allow them to apply after the event and as they provide a vital service to the community I hope they are spared further expense.

“However, applications must be judged case by case and the decision rests with the planning authorities.”

David Lewis, council development control manager, said: “If they were simply carrying out maintenance or replacing like for like, then an application would not be required.

“In this instance, however, the copper finish is to be replaced by a different material that affects the external appearance, making a planning application necessary.”

It has taken several months for the church to be paid out through its insurers, before repairs could begin.

Alan Blakeman, an administrator for the church, said: “It was a copper roof on two levels. There were four raids and they took the copper cladding off the roof over a period of a fortnight or three weeks. They gradually took it all.”

He could not comment on the planning issue