A PROMINENT building in Launceston town centre, which has been empty for around three years, could breathe new life into the local community over the next 12 months.

The former tax office premises on Madford Lane, built on the site of the original Madford House, has been leased to the Gateway2NewLife Church for the next ten years.

The church, founded in Launceston in 2010 by senior pastor John Berriman, has been meeting weekly in the town hall, but felt it was time to put down 'more permanent roots'.

Gateway2NewLife is an Elim Pentecostal Church, part of a network of 550 churches throughout the UK.

The church works towards being family-friendly and teaches from the bible, placing Jesus as 'the way, truth and life for the manner that people live'.

The church's aim for the building is not to grow church members, but to reach out and be part of the community.

It took over the lease of the building last September and has since been working on it inside and out to create a 'community hub'.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.