A town centre bank which closed its doors in spring will be transformed into a church.

The NatWest bank on Long Street, Middleton, shut in April and has been vacant ever since. Just months after Natwest lost their physical presence in the town, a proposal from the Churches of God to convert it into one of their places of worship with the capacity for 257 people.

The proposed ground floor will consist of the main service hall, service alter area, preparation room, storerooms and toilets.

The first floor will consist of the main conference room, additional meeting rooms, staff facilities and a plant room/storage space.

Planning papers from the Churches of God read: “The proposed change of use from bank to Church of God will preserve the character and appearance of the Middleton Town Centre Conservation Area while providing valuable community facilities.

“The retention of the existing building envelope ensures no harm to heritage assets, while the new use will ensure the building’s continued contribution to the vitality of Long Street.”

The Churches of God are currently represented on five continents and in 19 countries. The sect of Christianity has roots in the Holiness or Pentecostal movements that began in the late 19th century.

This is the third scheme for banks being converted into churches in Middleton recently. The Redeemed Christian Church of God, separate from the Churches of God, was granted permission to create a new worship space on the old grounds of the Barclays bank on Long Street last year.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God was also granted approval to turn the former RBS site on Market Place into a church last month.

With Halifax bank in Middleton Gardens due to close its doors for the last time in January 2026, this is the end of an era for in-person banking for Middleton.

A pop-up Barclays local will still be available to locals, three days a week, at the Lighthouse Project Community Hub within Middleton Shopping Centre.