More than a dozen churches, including the parish centres of Brighton and Hove, face closure as part of historic changes to prevent the "slow death" of the Church of England.

Church leaders have proposed shutting or adapting the buildings as part of a review aimed at adapting churches to the needs of the 21st Century.

Dwindling congregations and the cost of maintaining the ancient buildings were the trigger for a two-year investigation by the Brighton and Hove Pastoral Strategy Review group in which all 56 churches in the deanery were assessed.

Its 50-page report was presented to the Bishop of Chichester, the Right Reverend John Hind, and other church leaders at the weekend.

In Brighton the churches recommended for closure are: St Peter's in Brighton; St Matthias; St Luke's, Prestonville; St Mary, Kemp Town; St Martin; St Mary Magdalene, Coldean; St Albans; The Chapel Royal and Stanmer Church.

In Hove they are: St Julian Kingston Buci; St Andrew, Portslade; St Phillips; Holy Trinity; the parish church of All Saints and St Peter, Fishersgate.

Several churches have been earmarked for development: St Richards, Hollingdean; St Leonard's, Aldrington; St Helen's, Hangleton and St Barnabas in Hove.

St John in Palmeira Square, Hove and St Barnabas in Hove will be kept under close review.

Church leaders have stressed the report is purely for discussion.

The report reads: "These proposals arise from a background in which the Church of England is faced with a reduction in the numbers of available clergy and a difficult financial situation.

"The Church of England in the deaneries of Brighton and Hove is an increasingly ageing church with indications about 60 per cent of the congregations are now over the age of 65.

"The report recommends churches clustering together so the strengths of each is shared.

"During our visits we saw some parishes responding to the challenges of contemporary Brighton and Hove with faith, imagination, hard work and sacrifice.

"However the situation of the Church in the deaneries of Brighton and Hove is challenging at the present time."

In his foreword to the report, review group chairman and former city council chief Glynn Jones said: "Over the years, the Church has constantly faced changing circumstances and today we need to find new ways of taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in our city.

"Change is never easy but to do nothing would condemn the Church to a slow death by one church closure after another."