than two years after the original plan was put forward.

The Development Applications Board recently rejected a request by leaders of the Richard Allen AME Church on Queen Street to knock down the existing church and re-build it.

But church minister, the Rev. Wilbur Lowe, insists that fresh plans for a brand new church will soon be drafted.

The plan for a new church was first submitted in July, 1995, but was rejected following several objections over boundary regulations. Planners went back to the drawing board and earlier this year came up with a fresh design which relocated the building further back from the main road.

But this meant that the rear of the building now crossed another boundary directly behind the site.

This week the Development Applications Board finally threw out the plan because it has still not received a boundary adjustment application to correct the problem.

The present building is thought to be several hundred years old but architects hoped to replace it with a traditional but larger design which would comprise of two floors, four classrooms, kitchen, committee room, pastor's office and bell tower.

Last night the Rev. Lowe said: "Right now we're just in the process of looking at our options and one of the options will be to take down the current church completely and then put up another church, either on the same site or another plot of land.

"The present church is in a building that's very old and just doesn't meet our needs. We need classroom space and a choir room -- a multi purpose building.

"Right now we're using extra rooms in the old parsonage, which just isn't adequate. At the moment it's a case of going back to the drawing board but we will definitely be putting another plan forward.'' CHURCH CHU