Two churches are planning to merge in a bid to modernise community facilities.

Hall Royd Methodist Church and United Reformed Church, both on Bradford Road, Shipley are discarding doctrinal differences in a move to improve services for worshippers.

This could, however, mean that one of the churches is demolished to pave the way for development.

Reverend George Brigham of Hall Royd said: "We want facilities in a much better church with modern well equipped spaces. At the moment the buildings reflect the time they were built and are now ageing. We hope it will be looked on as a community centre."

Hall Royd has been struggling to maintain the upkeep of the building in the past 18 months because of funding shortages. The congregation, which provides most of the financing, has declined from 75 members in 2003 to 65 members in 2005.

Mr Brigham said: "This was a very big church 25 years ago but as numbers have declined they have not been replaced. We would have difficulty preserving the building if we did not join."

The two united churches hope to be a greater force when they move into one of the buildings in about three years.

A range of activities will run from the proposed centre including a karate club, youth activities, drama group and playgroups.

Work to revamp the chosen site is to begin next year and the other building will be used as a temporary base until the job is completed. The sale of the other building will finance the upgrade.

Although Methodist and United Reform churches differ in their theological outlook, both leaders hope to work around these. Methodist beliefs date back to John Wesley and United Reform to the times of John Calvin.

Mr Brigham added: "There are negligible differences in the way both churches worship. The historic divisions are less relevant now and this is about taking us forward. We have a precedent as many churches have merged like this."