A ROMAN Catholic chapel on a Darlington estate is facing demolition.

The chapel in Ribble Drive, on the Skerne Park estate, has not been used as a church for about three years.

Built in the 1960s, it was affiliated with St Augustine' Church in the town centre, but services there were discontinued in 2001, when the church was reduced to having only one priest.

Tim Dillon, property manager for the Roman Catholic Church's Hexham and Newcastle Diocese, said that since the church stopped using the property for services, it has been used for social events and for a local credit union.

But it has not been used for at least a year and is falling into disrepair. Despite efforts to sell it, no offers have been made.

"We are really looking at demolishing it to make the site safe and perhaps more attractive to potential buyers," he said.

"The trustees would have to make the final decision as to whether the chapel will be demolished, and that is yet to happen.

"It is situated in a residential area, so I would expect the area could be sold for housing. But, of course, that would be subject to planning approval."

Father Michael Higginbottom, priest at St Augustine's Church, said the building had originally been a Roman Catholic Primary School, and later became a chapel.

He said: "It is becoming something of a health hazard. It hass been boarded up, but there are concerns that if left it will become a dangerous site."

A meeting of the trustees will be held on Thursday, May 13, to decide on the fate of the chapel.