A PLANNING application has been submitted to demolish a Lowton church that has been shut for several years.

St Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church on Newton Road was closed in 2011 after a health and safety inspection highlighted a problem with the electrical wiring of the 1950s building.

The Archdiocese of Liverpool, which is responsible for the church, explored the possibility of fixing the problem but when other issues with the building emerged it was deemed not to be an economically viable option according to the parish priest, the Father Ron Johnson.

He said: “They came and did a survey and said the whole thing need rewiring as the original wires were no longer safe and the church would have to be closed.

“We then went into a period, about 18 months, of review because in addition we had other reports of other issues. Each one was repairable but the cost of repairing them all was not economically viable.

“The trustees decided not to do the work and not to reopen the church.”

The application was submitted to Wigan Council for permission to demolish the church and the presbytery and consultations were sent out on October 6.

Father Johnson, who is also parish priest also St. Lewis' at Croft and All Saints at Golborne said: “There are several cremation plots at the side of the church but the diocese is consulting with the families.

“Some have said they wish for them to stay in which case they will.

“It all happened very suddenly so many of the parishioners now come to All Saints or other churches in the area but that is the sad thing about this – that the congregation is now dispersed.”

Some residents have speculated that the land may be sold to a supermarket chain if permission is granted for the demolition but a spokesman for the diocese said no decisions have been made.

He said: “The building is being demolished because it has been closed for some years and is in poor condition.

“Decisions about the future of the site will only be taken when the buildings have been demolished but at this stage we are not aware of any interest from a supermarket.”