A RELIGIOUS group once accused of performing “satanic rituals” will not be allowed to build a church in the Merchant City.

The United Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) launched an appeal after planning chiefs blocked a bid for a new place of worship in August.

In 2005, the group was temporarily banned in Zambia amid claims members were taking part in activities relating to Satan.

And the church’s billionaire leader, Bishop Edir Macedo, had previously been accused of money laundering before his case was thrown out.

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Yesterday, a review panel upheld the original decision to stop the church taking over the B-Listed building on the corner of Bell and Walls Streets after 19 objections were lodged.

Anne McTaggart, who was on the panel, said: “Having read some of the concerns from the residents and community councillors, it’s fairly worrying.

“These people are worried about the street scene, the character and the appearance of the Merchant City.

“They are trying to encourage that area to be more vibrant. They are looking to have more pubs and clubs.”

She added there was no reason to overturn the original decision to refuse plans for the church.

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UCKG wanted to turn part of the building into a 130-seat auditorium with a meeting room, bookshop, an ancillary residential room, a children’s area and offices.

Currently the church holds services for around 50 members in the Jury’s Inn on Jamaica Street.

On its website the church has moved to dispel what it describes as “myths”.

These include claims the UCKG is “involved in fraud and drug trade”, that it “is a cult”, that the leader was “imprisoned for fraud”, that it “claims to heal people” and that it “asks for tithes”.

In 2009, Bishop Macedo was accused of laundering money through London and the Cayman Islands, and using church proceeds to buy property, jewellery and cars. The case, which also targeted other UCKG leaders in Brazil, was eventually thrown out.

The church advertises its community outreach programme, as well as support groups for youths, over-55s, hospital patients and single parents.

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In a description of its Victory Youth Group – for members older than 14-years-old – it claims kids can be helped in achieving lives “better than they had ever dreamed”.

The church also runs a group called Removing All Hurt and Abuse which aims to help domestic abuse victims “deal with denial and pretence and be honest about their situation and need to heal every wound”.

Church bosses had asked for the review body to consider allowing opening hours between 6.30am and 10.30pm daily. But businesses and residents had claimed a church would be “out of place” in the Merchant City and that noise from services would have a “detrimental effect on public health”.

Panel chairman Glenn Elder agreed, insisting the original reasons for refusal were “concrete” and claimed the church would exacerbate problems with parking and noise in the area.

The three person panel agreed unanimously to uphold the original refusal.