A CHURCH that served a parish for the best part of a century could become a private home.

St Bede’s CE, in Railway Street, Nelson, closed in January 2016 after years of declining congregation numbers, sometimes as low as 15.

Now a planning application has been submitted to change the use of the building into a single dwelling.

The plans, which will be considered by Pendle Council, also include a detached garage, a new porch, a larger single-storey rear porch and double-glazed windows. The application has been submitted in the name of Nasir Karimi.

The building, which as a church served the parish of Little Marsden, was established in 1929.

It was earmarked for closure late in 2015 by the Blackburn Diocese because of the dwindling numbers and growing maintenance costs.

At the time most of the remaining worshippers were expected to start attending attend church at St Paul’s in Halifax Road.

The building has been advertised on the Rightmove website, where it was described as ‘a large former church in a reasonably quiet, predominantly residential area, just over half a mile from the centre of Nelson."

The website shows an asking price of £150,000 and indicates a sale has been agreed subject to contract.

It also mentions a stipulation of the church commissioners ‘that any alterations to the exterior of the church should be limited and sympathetic to its historic interest and architectural qualities’.

The building went on sale with what was described as a ‘useful undeveloped area on the east side’.

The Rightmove listing adds: “A closed Church of England church is sold under a special legal provision known as a pastoral (church buildings) scheme, which allows the church commissioners to sell the property for a specific use.

“The sale of St Bede’s would, therefore, be subject to such a scheme following public consultation, as well as to the need to obtain planning permission.”

Cllr Azhar Ali, who represents Pendle on Lancashire County Council, said he had not yet seen the plan but gave it a general welcome.

He said: “I would welcome anyone who wanted to regenerate that site.

“I’d rather that than it become another disused site in the town.”