Church buildings task force requests emergency plan from cabinet negotiators

WOUDRICHEM – The national Future Church Buildings Task Force has fired off a letter to each of the three political parties who currently are negotiating a new coalition accord, urging them to start protecting church buildings from neglect and demolition. Expensive to maintain, the churches, especially the architectural monuments among them, have grown far beyond the means of dwindling parishes and congregations. When congregations merge, the costliest buildings are shut down and become candidates for redevelopment. Even the church buildings which have been declared a monument are not safe from neglect when funding for restoration is not available. The task force wants the new coalition to draw up an emergency (Delta) plan of action to preserve such heritage sites.