A CHURCH with a rapidly growing congregation has won the right to build an activity area for children.
New Forest councillors went against planning advice and approved an application submitted by the New Hope Centre at Hardley Green, Hardley.
They gave the church permission to ease its accommodation crisis by installing a portable building. Robert Dyer, representing the church, said: "In two years the congregation has tripled and space previously used for children has been drastically reduced. On a typical Sunday morning we welcome 100 adults and 50 children.
"Soon the present building won't be big enough." Mr Dyer said a company had offered to provide the church with a 10m x 3m building for its immediate needs.
He added: "The ground on which it will stand is one metre lower than the access road and this in itself will hide 25 per cent of the structure."
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