The Church of England’s plan to sell off a chapel and cottage in the Lake District has prompted villagers to form a protest group.
The group claims the Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s Church in Ambleside has recently agreed to sell the old chapel and Church Cottage in Little Langdale.
The ground floor of the property is a cottage and the first floor is the old chapel.
Villagers said they were disappointed and concerned about the decision, which they said was inconsistent with the Church’s values of community support.
The Little Langdale Community Group claimed existing tenants had been evicted and said it feared that the property would be sold as a second home.
A group spokesman claimed: “Within the last 36 years, not one house sold in our valley has remained a permanent home.
“The cost of housing is inflated by second homes and holiday lets, putting them far beyond the reach of people earning local wages.
“There are no communities without homes.”
The campaign group said its priority was to work with the church and wanted St Mary’s to sell it to a housing association or place a restriction on the property for local occupancy.
Cumbria Crack has contacted The Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s Church and the Diocese of Carlisle for comment.
