Politicians have waded into the row between a community council and Church of Scotland over a Gretna car park.
Springfield and Gretna Green Community Council is locked in a battle with the church which put a hall and car park up for sale for offers over £90,000.
But council chairwoman Isabelle Tranter pointed out that the Stormont Hall car park has been used for decades to access their hall.
And she claimed if it was sold a lack of parking would force drivers to leave their cars on the busy nearby roads causing a potential danger for motorists.
Now South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth and Annandale Councillor Archie Dryburgh are urging the Church of Scotland to work with the local community over the future of Gretna Old Church Hall in Gretna Green.
Ms Tranter branded the lack of consultation by the church as “un-Christian like” but welcomed the support of the politicians.
She said: “There has not been much communication and now that it is on the market the situation is galloping at speed.
“We would like buy it as a community asset transfer or if someone would like to step in with funds to help us out that would be great. We are grateful for Mr Smyth and Mr Dryburgh’s backing.”
Mr Smyth has written to the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields, asking the church to meet with local politicians and community groups to discuss the future of the hall, including access to the car park.
The MSP said: “Everyone accepts that the Church of Scotland are going through a major process where they are disposing of many of their churches and halls because of a lack of use and no one disputes the right to sell the hall. It’s just disappointing an opportunity for the community to buy the hall and car park rather than simply putting it on the open market wasn’t pursued first by the church.
“It looks as if the church is going for a sudden, quick sale and clearly that doesn’t give the community time to pull together a bid and secure funding.
“If the church hall is sold and access to the car park is restricted for public use, then it could put the very future of the neighbouring Stormont Hall at risk as well as the playing field. The income from the hall funds the upkeep of the field. The Stormont Hall relies on users accessing the church hall car park and in fact double yellow lines outside Stormont Hall means without the use of the car park, you couldn’t even load and unload and that would make certain events impossible.
“Ideally we would hope the church would put a halt on any sale to allow time for a community buy-out to be developed.
“Or at the very least secure a commitment in any sale that any future owners would continue to allow public access to the car park for those using the Stormont Hall.”
Mr Dryburgh has also written to the church and said: “Dumfries and Galloway Council, through our place based regeneration plans as part of the Borderlands Growth Deal, means this is the type of project that could secure support and there are other funders.
“The church hall could be used by local groups or businesses who have already been in touch with me.
“We just need the church to sit down and discuss options that at the very least maintains access to the car park.”
A Church of Scotland spokesperson said: “The moderator has yet to receive Mr Smyth’s letter.
“But the local minister (Rev Eleanor McMahon) has already been in contact with Mr Smyth to discuss some of the issues raised.”
