A CHURCH has asked if it can keep its building which it uses to store food for an emergency foodbank.

The building in Hollow Way, Oxford, which is a single storey portacabin, was granted temporary approval three years ago to store food needed for the Community Emergency Foodbank (CEF).

The charity, CEF, has been operating twice a week from its base at St Francis Church for 10 years.

Volunteers have been using the portacabin outside to store food, and monitor it coming in and out.

Planners wrote in the application, which can be found on the Oxford City Council planning register using the reference 18/02507/FUL, that the room is ‘essential’ for the charity to be able to distribute food.

They added: “Food is stored either in tins or packets and is monitored closely to ensure customers only receive food within its sell-by-date.

“No fresh food is involved.

“This is a small scale operation with a limited number of vehicles and staff involved.”

The church, which dates back to the 1920s, was granted planning permission 50 years ago for a scout hut and then again for the temporary CEF white cabin in 2015.

Food inside the 56-square metre room is sorted and laid out on a five tier rack with a central sorting area and tables by the entrance.