Former Westons Bakery, in King Street, Sudbury, could become hub for Stour Valley Vineyard Church

A town’s former bakery could be used as a hub for a church and its foodbank.

Stour Valley Vineyard Church has applied to Babergh District Council to change the retail premises at 22 King Street, in Sudbury, to a community use building.

It housed Westons Bakery until December 2023, and Winch & Blatch before that.

The church is a longstanding town charity and currently operates from three temporary venues.

Under the plans, the new site would allow it to consolidate all its activities into one building.

These includes weekly services, occasional evening services, a weekly parent and toddler group, emergency foodbank, monthly prayer/healing sessions, annual prayer week and admin use.

A planning statement said the new site would also open the church up to future services including debt advice, lifestyle education, youth clubs, counselling and support for vulnerable groups.

No commercial activities or subletting is proposed.

The building is Grade II-listed and has four parking spaces at the back.

The church is proposing to lease somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000sqft of the building’s space.