In 2007, the Church of Scientology bought Pitmaston House in Moseley for £4,200,000.

Despite the city council granting planning permission to the controversial church in 2013, no work seems to have been completed on the property - although, an application for planning permission in December suggests that the church is still seeking to renovate Pitmaston House.

After initial planning permission was granted back in 2013, the church promised a “complete and sensitive” restoration worth £6,000,000 of the historic building, which was supposed to transform the building from office use into a place of worship and religious education, bringing it “back to its former glory”.

The new building was planned to have a 140-seat chapel, a training centre and about 40 offices -however, this has yet to happen.

The current building was built in the 1930s on the footprint of the original Pitmaston House - which dated back to the 1870s.

The offices were designed by one of Birmingham's finest Inter-War architects, Holland W Hobbis.

In 2003, the 1930s Ideal Benefit Offices received the status of a Grade II listed building – protecting both the interior, exterior and setting of the building.

The Church of Scientology now have full ownership of the building after acquiring it in 2007.

A CGI mock up of Pitmaston House from the Scientology Birmingham Facebook page

The US sect is probably best known for its celebrity members, including Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and has often drawn criticism for its methods.

Its plans in Birmingham were met with similar controversy - with one objector calling the church a “corrupt, sinister and dangerous cult” , something it has strenuously denied, claiming instead it is a legitimate religion, a claim that was backed by the Supreme Court in December 2013.

However, nothing seems to have come from these plans, with the planning permission expiring in mid-May 2016.

Despite holding an important place in Moseley’s history, the building appears to have been left to languish.

From the outside, the property does not seem to have changed at all in the ten years since its purchase - although, despite its outward appearance, the historic building is supposedly in use by the church, and building work is still due to be completed.

Planning permission was applied for by the Church on December 20 2016 and was approved by Birmingham City Council on January 19.

Permission was granted to extend the sunken plant area at the rear of the building and relocate the substation.

It is unclear when this work will be undertaken, but shows that the church hasn’t completely forgotten about the building.

Pitmaston House on Moor Green Lane, Moseley

Martin Straker Welds, the Labour councillor for Moseley and Kings Heath, has suggested that the building is in use by the church, despite the lack of building work.

He added: “My understanding is that the organisation has started using the site in its present condition, without progressing any of the works that required the conditions of their listed building consent to have been agreed.”

“They are now in dialogue with the BCC conservation officer regarding the listed building conditions.”

This means there could still be hope for the future of Pitmaston House, despite the absence of activity over the last ten years.

Spokesman for the Church of Scientology, Graeme Wilson, has confirmed work will be going ahead on Pitmaston House: "We are indeed very pleased to announce that having received planning permission from the Birmingham City Council on 19 January, we are now able to move forward with the construction of our new Church of Scientology in Birmingham.

"This is a major step forward and our intention is to complete this new Church of Scientology in the coming year."

"Once the full renovations have been completed, the Church will be opened."

"To date, the Church has opened 56 new Scientology churches, community centres and Advanced Organizations in major cities and cultural centres across four continents, and new ones are dedicated each month."

Mr Wilson also added that a major function of the Church is to " give help in the local community, including with drug education, human rights education, literacy programmes, crime reduction programmes, helping those in need, and more "