The Church of Scientology has reapplied to renovate Duckworth’s Essence Distillery, more than a decade after they first submitted plans for the building.

The new proposals detail renovating the Grade-II listed building,  which was bought by the church for a reported sum of £3.6 million, into a church and outreach centre.

Blueprints to convert the former Chester Road mill – built by the Briggs and Wolstenholme in 1896 – were first tabled in 2007.

But the application was later withdrawn – and the building has lain empty ever since.

There has been a church on Deansgate for more than forty years, but members want to make the Old Trafford site the church’s ‘regional base’.

The church has now resurrected plans to remodel the iconic red brick structure, into a centre for worship, leisure and educational purposes.

The new plans to repair and restore the five-storey landmark include extensive work to the roof, replacement of brickwork – and the removal of asbestos.

Designed by NJSR, proposals also include reinstating historic features.

A planning report reads: “Once completed the building will provide a variety of facilities, some of which will be open to the public – and the remainder will be used by those practising Scientology.

“The ground floor public information centre, chapel and exhibition space will also provide visitors with an introduction to Scientology.”

Meanwhile, the upper ‘private’ floors will house a variety of spaces including meeting rooms, seminar spaces, a café and study.

The organisation was founded by L. Ron Hubbard in 1953 – and now has dozens of these centres, which they call ‘Ideal Orgs’ all over the world.

The church says they act as outreach centres to ‘effectively curb drug abuse, instil tolerance, raise awareness of human rights and uplift morality across whole populations’.

For more information visit publicaccess.trafford.co.uk and enter reference number 95907/FUL/18.