A THRIVING church may be on the move once again as its congregation continues to grow.
Huddersfield Christian Fellowship moved into its £1m Harvest House premises in St John's Road in 1999.
But just four years on, the expanding fellowship plans to move to new purpose-built premises on St Thomas's Road.
The lively church also has a base and coffee shop in Northumberland Street.
It has submitted outline plans to Kirklees Council for a church and bookshop, coffee shop, offices and parking on the site of the former Brook Crompton electrical engineering firm.
The pastor, the Rev Colin Cooper, said that although the plans were in their very early stages, building could start on the site as early as next autumn.
He said the church had outgrown Harvest House and the congregation were "crammed in" for Sunday morning services, which attract around 600 worshippers. An evening service is attended by between 250 and 300 people.
"We are very much blessed with a congregation ranging in age from nine days to 90-plus. We have oodles of young people and students and continue to thrive," said Mr Cooper.
He said that if plans were approved for the St Thomas's Road site both the Northumberland Street premises and Harvest House would be sold. All church activities would be based on the one site.
The fellowship bought and renovated the former Comet warehouse in St John's Road for £1.4m with most of the cash being raised by the congregation.
Last December, it was featured in an hour-long BBC TV programme in the run-up to Christmas.
The fellowship, a non-denominational, Bible-based church, has also been featured on several radio broadcasts and produced CDs.
It was formed almost 20 years ago and first met in members' homes and other buildings, before buying the Northumberland Street premises.
