A BAPTIST Church in Alexandra Road, Newport, which has planning permission for five one bedroom flats is to be auctioned.

The church, which received planning consent on December 1, 2016, has a freehold guide price of £65,000 to £75,000.

Auctioneer Scott Gray said: “This is a charming former Baptist church in a popular residential area which is convenient for local amenities and facilities.

“With the benefit of planning consent, we are expecting keen interest from investors as well as developers who may have other schemes in mind subject to the necessary consents.”

According to information held at the Gwent Archives, in Ebbw Vale, the church stemmed from preaching centres run by members of Commercial Road Church in places such as Baldwin Street and Lime Street.

In their records, it says: “In the year 1880, seeing the population was rapidly increasing in this part of the town, as the result of the large increase in the shipping trade, the Church at Commercial Road felt it was its duty to provide means of grace for those members.

“The matter of establishing a church in this part of the town was taken under the consideration of the Baptist Union of Newport and Maindee.

“The union arranged about the end of 1883 to erect a kind of school-chapel at a cost of £1,200.”

The church opened on October 15, 1884, and according to Coflein, the online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW), Alexandra Road Baptist chapel was built in the Lombardic-Italian and Classical style of the gable-entry type.

“It [the church] has done noble work in our century throughout two wars, a dockland depression and a total change of population in that area,” information held at the archives says.

Records also say the church was received into the Monmouthshire English Association in 1885 and that membership at the church “considerably” decreased since June, 1886 - after its minister left.

Information held at the Gwent Archives seem to indicate the church was out of use by 1993.

In the planning application, the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust, said: “It is noted the chapel forms a significant element of the street scene and by virtue of its history has contributed to the social and religious history of the community.

“The building is proposed for conversion and, whilst it will preserve the main structure, this will have a permanent effect on the chapel.

“We therefore recommend that a record of the chapel both by the means of a drawn, photographic and written description, prior to any work commencing.”

The property will be auctioned by Clive Emson Auctioneers on Friday, March 24, 2017, at the St Mellion International Resort, St Mellion, Cornwall.

For more information about the auction, visit cliveemson.co.uk