THE Catholic Church is poised to buy a listed Victorian building in Salford for around £600,000 - despite announcing plans to close up to 10 churches in the city's diocese.

Church leaders insist the proposals are not cost-driven and claim that buying the former Salford Education Department headquarters in Chapel Street makes economic sense.

The building is an impressive landmark next door to Salford Cathedral - the existing headquarters of the diocese.

The church has submitted a planning application to make various alterations to the building which are expected to cost £500,000, bringing the total bill to more than £1m.

The changes include turning it into offices, a training centre, caf' and constructing a multi-storey car park.

Contracts are currently being exchanged with Salford city council but will only be finalised if planning permission is granted for the alterations.

Monsignor Mark Davies, Vicar General of the Salford Diocese, said: "Acquiring the building does make economic sense in that we will bring together all the diocesan offices.

"The site will then be a focus for administration, training and pastoral development.

"At the moment, we have some offices at the Cathedral, some in Gerald Road, Salford, and odd bits about the diocese.

"The plans for some church closures are not cost-driven. We are trying to bring people together to have strength for the future with bigger congregations. We are planning ahead for the next decade."

The plans for the listed building will be considered by the council's planning committee on November 20.

Constructed in 1895, in a French Renaissance style, the three-storey building still has many of its original fittings, including elaborate tiling.

In the last three years 42 priests have been lost to the diocese through death, retirement or moving to other areas. Only one or two have been ordained each year. A large number of churches will be amalgamated throughout the diocese, which includes large parts of Greater Manchester and East Lancashire.

Father Michael Walsh, spokesman for the diocese, said of the church closures: "It is not a cost-cutting exercise. We could end up spending more money as there is a possibility that new buildings could go up and improvements will be made to existing ones."

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