WORK is continuing to convert a former church in Malvern into housing.

Builders are turning Holly Mount Church into three new homes, with scaffolding now up around the historic building.

We previously reported how developers had asked permission to start work, saying the building was no longer fit for purpose as a church.

One of the planning documents said: "Given the fact that Britain has become more secular in the last 50 years there is now a large surplus of Places of Worship for the number of people who are regular attendees of Churches.

"Unlike many other historic buildings they have a number of difficulties which make them unsuitable for modern Christian denominations.

"Many congregations are now based in modern buildings including industrial buildings."

The congregation of Holly Mount moved to the Malvern Cube in Albert Road North a number of years ago, saying the cost of maintaining the historic church in the centre of the town was too much.

After nearly 150 years in Queens Drive, the congregation decided the costs were simply too high and that relocating to other premises would allow them to be closer to the community.

When completed, the homes will be three self-contained units with mezzanine floors and on-site parking.

In the planning application, the developers said the plans would preserve the historic church and prevent it from being demolished.

The documents continued: "There are a finite number of Churches which can become “museums or heritage centres” or similar, and indeed it can be argued that there are too many.

"There are many churches in both rural and urban areas going through a process of ruination often simply fenced off to the general public.

"On some sad occasions beautiful Grade I listed Churches are demolished.

"In the short term the goal is preventing deterioration or a catastrophic event such as a fire.

"In the longer term the goal has to be preventing demolition and making it worth somebody’s while maintaining the building in the long term.

"Experience has shown that conversion of a church by the private sector to uses other than as dwellings is generally not sustainable in the long term."