THE State Heritage listed former John Knox Presbyterian Church in Morphett Vale will be turned into a childcare centre for 80 children.

Building owner Paul Ogden – of the John Knox Development Company – will restore the rundown former church and neighbouring schoolhouse on William St and convert it into a childcare centre after Onkaparinga Council’s development assessment panel approved the plans on April 14.

The plan also includes five single-storey and two two-storey houses. Under the approval, Mr Ogden has 12 months to start construction and three years to complete it.

He has also signed an agreement with the State Heritage Branch agreeing to bring the derelict buildings up to scratch.

Onkaparinga city development manager Terry Sutcliffe said the agreement provided a guarantee and another “layer of assurance” the buildings would be restored.

The church was built in 1856 and the school in the 1870s, with both buildings heritage listed in 1984.

In recent years, they have become a haven for vandals and overrun by vermin, prompting restoration calls.

Heritage campaigner Lester McInerney welcomed news it would be transformed into a childcare centre.

“It’s been going on for 40-odd years and is one of the longest ongoing sagas of development versus history that we’ve had in the south,” he said.

But Morphett Vale resident Barbara Hahn, who collected more than 800 signatures last year calling on the State Government to buy the buildings and restore them, had mixed feelings.

“Ideally I wanted State or Local Government to buy the buildings so they could remain in public hands for public use, but that’s now not possible,” she said.

“But my greatest worry is that the owner will build the houses next to the site and then something will happen and these heritage buildings won’t be fixed.”

Mr Ogden declined to comment on the redevelopment until after the 15-day appeal period.