Plans to improve access to St Mary’s Church in Richmond have been drawn up.
A planning application for the work has been submitted to North Yorkshire Council.
The improvements will include a new ‘step-free’ path to the church and a new car park for disabled motorists.
A supporting statement submitted with the plans states: “Our intention is to establish step-free access to St Mary’s church using a C-shaped path leading from the access path from Station Road to join the top of a platform coming out from the church and joining with the path running round the west side of the church which in turn links to a disabled car park in a disused area of the rectory garden.
“The area is officially owned by the diocese of Leeds and a faculty is being sought from the diocese but there may well be planning implications particularly with regard
to possible increased use of Church Wynd.
“The car park will be in a disused area of the rectory garden.
“The C-shaped access curve will go through the graveyard.”
The applicants say archaeological advice is being sought, as well as diocesan approval and attempts to trace the living relatives of the five c1800 memorial stones that will need to be moved.
