A Grade II listed property is to be taken over by a Christian “cooperative”.

The Jesus Fellowship Community Trust proposes to renovate the massive five-storey seafront property in Marine Parade, Brighton.

The house, which is next door to where comic Max Miller lived between 1936 and 1946, is believed to be worth £500,000.

The group are relocating from a similar house in Seaford and will fund all improvements to the domineering property which overlooks Duke’s Mound.

It is the latest in the spread of Christian communes from the church, which founded its first community house in Northamptonshire in 1974.