A CHURCH leader and council officials have collided in a row over how a treasured building should look.

Bury Council got permission in September 2014 to put two metal sculptures in alcoves at the front of Bury Art Gallery in Moss Street and one of the conditions was that permission would have to be renewed 12 months on.

Bury planning committee is set to decide at a town-hall meeting at 7pm on Tuesday if it should renew the permission.

The gallery is a Grade 2 listed building due to its architectural importance, as it dates back to 1901 and has a grand neo-classical design not often seen in the borough.

However, an official at the neighbouring Bury Unitarian Church has taken exception to the bid.

The chair of the congregation Ann Mills has formally objected.

According to a council report, she said: "The church building and gardens look towards the sculptures and we consider that the sculptures are too large for the alcoves in which they have been placed.

"The sculptures do not match the architecture of the building and are incongruous."

Bury planning officer Helen Longworth has recommended the committee grants permission and, if it does, permission would have to be renewed in five years.

In the report, Ms Longworth wrote: "The artwork is striking and modern in design, but would represent appropriate innovation.

"These are appropriate to the building."