PARISHIONERS who have been raising funds for a new church for 10 years may finally have found a permanent place to pray in St Peter's

Members of St Peter's Church, formerly Red Hill Church, have been looking for a new site for a decade after their numbers swelled.

The church-goers had to abandon the present church in Cannon Street, Red Hill, for temporary sites such as Nunnery Wood High School.

But now they've nearly raised enough money for the venture - the figure is being kept a secret - and have handed in plans to Worcester City Council for a two-storey church on land off St Peter's Drive, St Peter's, Worcester.

The building would have a main meeting hall which would seat 300 people, several other rooms and parking for up to 90 cars.

"We are delighted to finally be in this position - it is a very exciting time for us," said church leadership team member Rob Giles.

"The land we have found in St Peter's is ideal and we hope to be building there by the autumn."

But proposals in the past have met opposition from local residents who fear more traffic and noise - and city and parish councillor Aubrey Tarbuck said he expected a similar reaction to the latest application.

"I think there could very well be more objections once the application becomes public knowledge," he said.

"The noise and volume of traffic is bad enough as it is on St Peter's Drive, but with 2-300 people going to a service, this would be worse.

"The parish council said it had no objections to the plans during its meeting on Monday, but as a Worcester planning councillor, I could not comment until it comes up at the city council.

"It will be interesting to see what people have to say."