St Keverne Methodist Church could be turned into flats as two congregations prepare to merge and worship in the adjacent hall.

St Keverne and Ponsongath Methodist Church are to amalgamate in January to become the United Methodist Church St Keverne.

Services will be held in the Methodist hall in St Keverne and no decision has been taken over what will happen to the Ponsongath chapel building.

However, church secretary Arthur Jackson told parish councillors last week that talks had been underway for some time about converting the St Keverne chapel into homes.

Mr Jackson said: “The chapel building has become unfortunately redundant to Methodist purposes over the cost of all its upkeep.”

He said issues such as maintenance and insurance were prohibitive in keeping it open.

An architect had been instructed to draw up plans to develop the chapel into two flats, with the land immediately behind it being used as a garden area for both.

At the same time, plans were drawn up for two small houses to potentially be built at the back of the neighbouring hall, as starter homes for local people.

Initial advice from Cornwall Council, ahead of a full planning application being submitted, was that officers would not object to the conversion of the chapel into flats, but there were concerns over access up the ramp that leads to both the chapel and hall.

As a result, the building of the two additional homes looked unlikely – although the highways officer appeared satisfied that in his opinion the increase of vehicles resulting from any chapel conversion would be “very marginal.”

Mr Jackson said that any potential development of the building had to be put on hold until early next summer, as bat droppings had been found that meant a survey would need to be carried out – but this could not take place until May or June.

“We wanted to inform the council what our plans were, after much speculation and rumour,” he added.

He also confirmed that although the newly amalgamated church would soon be holding services in the hall, this would still be available for the many groups that already used the building, including the parish council itself.

Following a question from council chairman David Lambrick over the proceeds from the development, should it go ahead, Mr Jackson said that a “small proportion” would go to the Methodist headquarters in Manchester and a proportion would go to the Lizard and Mounts Bay Methodist Circuit, which funds the ministers, but “just over half” – depending on how much was realised – would be available to United Methodist Church St Keverne.

“We have plans to build, subject to planning permission, a slightly bigger storage area,” he said, adding: “Since we appear to be blocked from putting two dwellings behind here, we will use that to be a proper, additional car park for us of the church and the community," although this was also subject to planning approval.