ONE of Wirral's most famous religious landmarks - Ss Peter and Paul Church in New Brighton - could be sold off and converted into luxury apartments.

That is what trustees of the copper-domed Catholic church are deeming "the most pragmatic option" for the future of the 72-year-old building.

All parishioners are being asked for their views in a consultation exercise organised by the Diocese of Shrewsbury - but they only have until this Saturday, March 31, to have their say.

The church was designed by E Bower Norris of Sandy and Norris Architects of Stafford and London, and is described as of the Classical Renaissance style.

It is set on the highest point of the ridge on which New Brighton stands, and its coppered green dome can be seen for miles.

The Grade Two listed building needs at least £1m worth of specialist maintenance and improvement works, money the Diocese says it does not have.

It has presented four options for the future for the parishioners to consider:

To repair the current building and create internal social space to meet parish needs, an option considered "simply not affordable".

To sell the church to a developer and "use the funds received to construct a new dual church/social facility on the site of the presbytery".

To share liturgical facilities with other Christian communities within New Brighton

Any other practical ideas suggested by parishioners.

The sell-off option is considered the most pragmatic as "it would provide a new church for the parish, which would accommodate all the social facilities the parish would need for its future development," says the consultation document.

A petition to save the building as a Catholic church has now been launched by New Brighton Conservative Councillor Tony Pritchard.

It says: "We consider that this church is a local landmark and irreplaceable historic building."

Cllr Pritchard said: "Ss Peter and Paul is one of the last remaining buildings of note in New Brighton and it would be a terrible shame to lose it. Many, many local people have attended the church and the school and I believe they would be terribly upset to see that change."

John Joyce, spokesman for the Diocese of Shrewsbury, said: "There is a consultation process underway and absolutely all options are open until the end of that process."