The synod of Bermuda's Anglican Church voted on Saturday to refuse permission to developers who wanted to convert St. Andrew's Mission on Horseshoe Road into two new condos.

Bishop of Bermuda the Rt. Rev. Ewen Ratteray said yesterday the synod turned down the idea, despite the Department of Planning approving in-principle planning permission to the Coconut Lair Trust to change the use of St. Andrews Mission from social/institutional to a residential property in June.

"Some people had concerns about the loss of the property," Rev. Ratteray said yesterday. "Once you sell something it's gone. It may bring a short term cash gain but in the long term it is a definite loss."

The Bishop said the Anglican Church had sold churches in the past but later regretted its decision. Rev. Ratteray said the Church decided about St. Andrews at an open meeting at Cathedral Hall on Saturday.

A spokesman for Government's Planning Department said last week that should the Development Applications Board (DAB) have approved the change of use of No. 42, Horseshoe Road by the Coconut Lair Trust, the 70-year-old church could have been demolished.

However, the Bishop said any change of use of church property had to be approved by both Government and the synod.

Concerned Horseshoe Road resident Raymond Todd said he was one of 26 objectors to the application which was approved in June. Mr. Todd, a former cricket and football captain at the nearby Southampton Rangers sport's club, believed the Mission could be an important influence in what he called the number one drug centre of Bermuda. "The little case with the machetes outside Southampton Rangers is just one little bit of what is going on all day and night." Mr. Todd did not like seeing children going in and out of Southampton Rangers with beer bottles.