THE landmark Holy Trinity Church on Scarborough's South Cliff is to be redeveloped into flats after successful efforts to save it from demolition.

The listed building, in Trinity Road, has been redundant for the past decade since its parish merged with that of neighbouring St James.

Now a proposal by Humming Bee Holdings, of Hunmanby, to convert it into 12 flats, is being supported by Scarborough Borough Council planning officers.

Planning chief Gordon Somerville said: "The problem in Scarborough is that the number of churches built in the 19th Century now far outstrips present needs.

"There is no likelihood of re-use of the church by the Church of England or any other denomination".

He said Holy Trinity had a "very high landscape value" with its striking tower and spire, visible from a wide area of the town.

The Church Commissioners had wanted to pull the church down, but the borough council opposed the move and planning permission was given for it to be converted into living accommodation.

However the scheme was not pursued and the church has deteriorated since said Mr Somerville.

A decision on the proposal will be made next week.