Radical plans for the future of the city's Anglican churches are being drawn up in a new document that could earmark some for closure.

All 26 Anglican churches and associated buildings in Brighton and Hove have been scrutinised by the Brighton and Hove Pastoral Strategy Review Group.

Its wide ranging review, due to be published next month, could recommend the closure of some of the city's poorly-attended and financially-draining churches.

Members of the group, under the chairmanship of former Brighton and Hove Council chief executive Glynn Jones, have been touring the city examining the community and commercial use of buildings.

They have looked at all aspects of the Church of England's roles in the city and considered its finances.

One of the main tasks of the team has been to try to find a way of solving the problem of St Peter's Church in the centre of Brighton.

The church is in one of the highest-profile sites in the city in York Place, just north of the Old Steine, and often the first major building seen by visitors driving into Brighton.

An early work by Charles Barry, who designed the Houses of Parliament, it needs repairs totalling £2 million, yet some of its main services attract less than 100 people.

The review of churches was commissioned by the Bishop of Chichester, the Right Reverend John Hind, in 2001.

A separate study on St Peter's, a Grade 1 listed building, is also being carried out by the business development company, Lorica, which specialises in church matters.

One of the ideas put forward by Lorica is to close the main road to London to the west of the church, creating one huge plaza, which would link the church to the new development planned for the Brighton Station site.

The Archdeacon of Chichester Douglas McKittrick, the former vicar of Brighton and priest at St Peter's, said: "The report will be published on June 21. It will then go out to consultation to the parishes in Brighton and Hove until September.

"The report will just be recommendations and nothing will be set in stone but it will be a model for the future of all church buildings and the Church of England in the city.

"It is a substantial piece of work."