A CHURCH hall that has served the people of Middlewich for over 50 years is to be demolished.

Congleton Borough Council's planning committee supported plans for Cledford Mission Hall on Cross Lane to be knocked down and replaced with three new houses.

The move to demolish the hall comes as a result of a steady decline in usage of the facilities and an inability to cover the cost of any necessary repairs and upgrades.

In a letter sent to the planning committee Middlewich Parochial Church Council, the owner of the hall, stated: "The present church hall has become obsolete as a place of worship since churchgoers now find it convenient to travel to the parish church in Middlewich."

The report to the borough council also says that the church hall used to provide facilities such as playgroups but the building's amenities are now very poor and with facilities now provided by the nearby Methodist church the cost of upgrading the hall could not be justified.

One Middlewich resident who used to go to Sunday school at the hall was upset to hear the news.

She said: "It's really sad, the hall holds a lot of memories for me. It's the end of an era."