A NEW Wall Heath church building which has been 10 years in the making has finally had its official opening.

Wall Heath Evangelical Free Church welcomed people through its doors last Saturday (April 9) to mark its official opening and dedication.

Limited by the old facility, which was too small to cope with the increased usage by church and community groups and after many attempts over the years to extend and renovate the old building, the church decided a rebuild was the best option.

The new two-storey building on Enville Road has taken more than 10 years from the original vision to completion.

Pastor, Matt Jones, said: “For us it was a 10-year journey of faith where the impossibilities were far greater than what was humanly achievable by us as a church.”

Although planning permission was granted back in January 2018 there were fears about the project when the Covid pandemic started, but with support from the architect and contractor, the team were able to complete the work towards planning conditions and demolition began in October 2020.

The church initially only had enough funding to complete phase one - which included demolition, foundations and floor to damp proof course.

But thanks to the generosity of churchgoers, members of the community, trusts and grant funders and a mortgage from Charity Bank - the church was able to hold its first service on December 19 last year.

Dudley South MP Mike Wood said the new building had been a long time in the making and he added: “The end result is a true testament to the passion of all involved.

“This new building will enable the church to do what they do best – which is being at the heart of the Wall Heath community and welcoming all local people through their doors.”