An abandoned Victorian chapel is to get a new lease of life after plans to convert it into a small house were agreed.

The building in West Langdon, near Dover, is set to be restored to “its former glory” as part of work to transform the 159-year-old building into a one-bedroom home.

Built in 1866 and shown on a 1863-75 local map as a Wesleyan Methodist Church, the redundant site in Rose Hill was last used as a place of worship by the United Reform Church six years ago.

However declining numbers among the congregation, say applicants Sandy Dougal and Sophie Hamilton, forced it to close in 2019 and the tiny building has remained empty ever since - being bought by its current owners in 2023.

The applicants - who sought Dover District Council’s permission to “sensitively convert” the chapel - will now turn the current one-storey building into a house with two levels thanks to the addition of a mezzanine floor that will make room for a bathroom and bedroom above the kitchen/diner, cloakroom and lounge underneath.

Plans to return the outside of the chapel to how it once looked are also included - with proposals to remove old cement rendering and carry out restoration work to original brickwork discovered underneath.

The application reads: “It is now proposed to carefully reinstate the existing chapel to its original external finish by removing all of the cement render and restore the brickwork with localised repairs (heli-bars), brick replacements where necessary and localised re-pointing.

“The benefits of undertaking this work is not only for aesthetic reasons, it will also allow the traditional natural materials (lime mortar, porous brick) to breathe again, further preserving the life of the building long term, as well as restoring the building in to its original context as it would have first appears in the 19th century.”

The chapel - according to plans on the council’s website - is not a listed building, locally listed or within a conservation area, however the site is located within an “area of archaeological potential”, says the paperwork.

It also sits very close to neighbouring cottages on Rose Hill, who all will share a footpath, but residents living there have welcomed the plans and heaped praise on the chapel’s owners for the way they have approached their ideas with one saying they are “very happy” to welcome new neighbours.

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Nigel Rhodes wrote: “While making preparations for the chapel conversion to an accommodation they have been more than obliging and considerate of our feelings as we are quite nearby.

“They have transformed the garden from a tangled mess to a very pleasant space. Likewise the attached field.”

While Christine Lewsey added: “My husband and I fully support the plans for the chapel and believe it will enhance the village and provide a well thought out home whilst retaining as much of the original exterior appearance as possible.”