A DECISION will be made this week on whether a historic church and village hall can be converted into a restaurant.

Plans were submitted last year by the owners of the Retreat chain, which operates bar and grill restaurants in Heaton and Adlington, to take over the Bromley Cross Village Hall.

If given the seal of approval by councillors this week, the proposals would involve the demolition of the Birtenshaw Methodist Church.

A car park would be built in place of the church, which closed last year due to a dwindling congregation.

Bolton Town Hall planning officers have recommended the plans for approval ahead of a planning committee meeting on Thursday afternoon.

A council report into the proposals said: “While the church building could be considered a non-designated heritage asset and it contributes positively to the character and appearance of the area, there is no prospect of listing the building or compulsory purchase from the Council, there is no economic interest in retaining both buildings, and there would be significant benefits arising from the change of use and conversion of the church hall.

“On balance it is considered that the proposal is justified.”

The main church hall was built in 1875 and the village hall dates back to 1888.

The closure of both buildings, in Darwen Road, was announced last year and blamed on a dwindling congregation size and lack of people to carry out jobs at the site.

Retreat company director Richard Hibbert said last year that the restaurant could open this summer and that the demolition of the church would be necessary because of parking problems in Bromley Cross.

According to the council’s report, all bids made for the site when it was advertised for sale last year involved the demolition of one or both buildings.

Retreat intends to build an extension to the village hall, while 13 full-time and 14 part-time jobs could be created by the restaurant.

The church’s congregation size had fallen from 60 in 1999 to just 12 in 2015.