An historic grade II listed Walsall church which is regarded as one of the borough’s great buildings and has been the subject of arson attacks could be “converted” into flats.

Walsall Council is ploughing ahead with its plans to use a compulsory purchase order to save Mellish Road Methodist Church, at the junction of Lichfield Road and Butts Road. But now it has revealed that an option could be used to convert the building into homes – saving the facade.

The church, built in 1910, has been empty since 1992 when concerns were raised over its safety.

In February this year campaigners who have battled to save the church feared its days were numbered after arsonists got in and set fire to the beautiful gothic-style building.

Twenty-five firefighters were called to the blaze which destroyed a wooden mezzanine inside the church and severely damaged part of the main roof, leaving the front gable wall unstable.

Owners of the building have been working closely with the council in a bid to maintain the site but it is still unclear whether the entire site, attacked by arsonists in February, will eventually have to be demolished. The identity of the owners and the cost of the works undertaken so far are unknown.

Michael Tichford, who works as Walsall Council assistant director of regeneration overseeing such projects, said: “The council is continuing to work with the private owners of the Grade II Listed Mellish Road church.

“This process includes the consideration of all economically viable alternative uses. A report detailing possible options available to the council will be put before cabinet later this year.”