A CHURCH plans to open a city centre 'community hub' offering services to groups including students and the homeless.

The Bradford-based Life Church is hoping to take over a disused nightclub and turn it into an outreach centre.

Belfry House, in Chester Street, was once a warehouse and was most recently home to the bar and nightclub Che Bar, but is now lying empty.

But, under the new plans, it could now be used for a range of community projects, including the possibility of a clothing bank or food bank.

A statement from the church's planning agent to Council planners outlined the current decaying state of the building.

It said: "Formerly occupied as a nightclub on the upper floors with bar downstairs, the property is currently vacant.

"Internally, it is unkempt and in need of investment. Upper floors are untidy and unattractive, with investment required to bring it back into any potential beneficial use.

"The upper floors are currently filled with rubbish and various items. The ground floor has an existing bar area with dance floor and some seating on the periphery."

The Life Church, formerly the Abundant Life Church, is based in Bradford and has campuses in Leeds, Belfast and Warsaw, Poland.

It has now applied to officially change the use of the three-storey stone building from a public house to a non-residential institution.

The statement says: "It is proposed the building would be used for a range of community projects and staffing levels will initially be three people, with some increase anticipated over time to around eight people in the future.

"The type of community-based projects will vary but at this stage it will include catering for the homeless on at least one day per week, but increased if the need is evident. The building could also house a clothing bank or food bank for those in need.

"Other activities could include providing student lunches on a Sunday after they attend the main Life Centre in central Bradford and providing general advice to different groups of people in the city during the week.

"Some Christian discovery courses might be run in the building, including the Alpha course in the evenings, which may involve serving food and also some teaching to those attending."

However, it says the existing Life Centre in Wapping Road, Bradford, would remain the key venue for church services and the use of Belfry House would focus on "community outreach".

Members of the public can comment on the application until July 21.