A village pub in Cambridgeshire could be knocked down to make way for a new place of worship.

Plans have come forward to demolish The Wheatsheaf, in Stow cum Quy, which closed back in 2019.

The Radegund Gospel Hall Trust has asked for permission to build a one-storey building in its place, in order to create a place of worship for members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Churches in Cambridgeshire.

The Trust said the Christian denomination was seeing growth in the area and that the new hall would offer a place for around 10 families to come and worship.

In planning documents submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council, it said: “At a time when church attendance in the established Church of England is in decline, many smaller and more informal denominations are experiencing growth.

“The Plymouth Brethren Christian Churches around Cambridgeshire is one such denomination which has experienced numerical growth.

“Within the Cambridgeshire area, this denomination currently has approximately 230 members.

“By delivering a new hall at the application site in the Stow-Cum-Quy area, the trustees will be able to provide a much more local meeting hall for their members, and will be able to reduce the distances travelled for their members – delivering a much more sustainable option than the current situation.”

The plans said the denomination holds the independence of its churches “as a matter of high importance”.

The Trust explained that the denomination does not share its buildings with other uses and looks for detached buildings for a place of worship.

The group said it had considered converting the existing pub building, but claimed this would not be possible.

The plans said: “Demolition is considered as necessary because the conversion of this pub to a place of worship would be unviable for the group.

“The level changes within the building, the various extensions and structural changes and the need for structural supports would make a conversion to a hall challenging and would result in a compromised internal space.

“Moreover, the building has sustained significant damage as a result of a water leak in the loft over an extended period of time and this would be expensive and unviable to address for the proposed use.

“After considering all options, it has been considered that a demolition of the existing building is necessary in order to deliver the proposed use for a religious meeting hall.”

The Trust said it recognised the redevelopment would mean the village lost the pub.

However, the group highlighted that it had been closed since 2019 and suggested the damage to the building reduced the viability of it being able to reopen as a pub.

The Trust also said its research showed part of the site had contained a Methodist Chapel, so suggested its plans would return the land to a historic use.