Video: Aerial view of the new Leeds from the church that hosts its own cocktail parties

Holy Trinity Church on Boar Lane, just five minutes walk from the city’s railway station, was built in the 1720s and stands incongrously as a place of worship amongst a hive of retail activity.

Church supporters say the project would save it from potential closure.

The plans include refurbishing the nave, removing the old pews and installing new flooring, heating, lighting and sound systems, so that it could be used by a variety of groups.

Most radical of all are plans to exploit the roof space with images of glamorous roof top parties where guests would quaff cocktails while looking out over the city centre skyline from a new outdoor terrace.

Lay minister Ann Nicholl said: “It is a wonderful Georgian building and we want to maintain it for the future, to make it more user-friendly and open it up to more people.”

The project would cost between £3.5m and £4m and Ms Nicholl said it was hoped a loan could be secured from Land Securities, the company behind the neighbouring massive Trinity development.