A FORMER Catholic church could become a boat storage facility in Seaview.

Built in 1957, Holy Cross Church on Seafield Road was used for over 60 years, until 2011 when it was then closed due to a lack of congregation.

It has remained vacant ever since and has had its religious blessing removed so it can be used for other purposes.

Now, a change of use application has been submitted by V A Warren and Sons, also known locally as Warren Boats or Warrens, to the Isle of Wight Council, to use the old church building for storage and a small workshop.

In planning documents submitted by the company, it says the building has significantly deteriorated while it has been unused and needs rejuvenating.

Warrens, which claims to be the oldest business in the village, has a main base on the Esplanade and other premises around Seaview to store and work on boats as well as the iconic Sea View One Designs (SVODs), classic wooden clinker-built 12-foot sailing dinghies with brightly coloured sails.

The majority of the company's work is on a fleet of over SVODs and it says it is essential they are stored inside over the winter to ensure they are fully protected.

With increasing demand, Warrens says it is looking to take on additional premises in close proximity to its Esplanade headquarters and the church readily lend itself to the needs of the business.

The boating company says the use of the building would help generate additional employment locally.

No changes are proposed externally but a storage rack could be installed inside with space for approximately 40 boats.

Isle of Wight County Press: Proposed layout of indoorsProposed layout of indoors (Image: V A Warren and Sons)

Some of the services proposed include rubbing down, minor repairs, varnishing and painting, start-of-season rigging and end-of-season washing down.

Limited activity is said to take place between October and May but would ramp up in the summer as the boats came out of storage.

It could be open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturday.

You can view the application, 22/01788/FUL, on the council's planning register. Comments can be submitted until November 25.

Previous plans to change the church into a house were refused in 2012.