A disused chapel in the Forest of Dean that saw life as a centre for ex-offenders and people working to overcome drug addiction is set to become a studio and home for an international award-winning artist.

The former Wesleyan Chapel, in the village of Bream's Brockhollands Road, was built in 1860 and extended in the 1920s to provide Sunday school facilities. The chapel closed, however, in 1959 and was taken over by the Pentecostal Church Group, which remained there until five years ago.

Two years ago, London-based painter Tom Waring bought the premises with the vision of turning it into a studio space with attached living accommodation.

A design and access statement submitted to Forest of Dean District Council says the building remains in good condition, although it was stripped of its internal fittings. The applicant intends to use the main chapel as an open-plan studio and live in the former Sunday school section.

Lydney-based surveyors Simon A Moore told planners that the site "was last used by an organisation called Victory Outreach UK, who are based in South Wales and help to resettle ex-offenders and drug addicts. They took over the premises in 2011 following the closure of the church in 2010, when the remaining Gospel worshippers could no longer carry on."

He added: "The Victory church in Bream appears to have been a short lived venture... As is increasingly common, in all parts of the country, we are becoming a more secular society, with congregations in the traditional churches dwindling rapidly. The non-conformist churches have suffered from a notable decline throughout the second half of the 20th century and 21st century; with very few Methodist and Baptist chapels remaining open."

However, he added that the local Methodist congregation now meets in the West Dean Centre and Anglican Church of St James is still open, and has a strong congregation.

He added: "Finding new uses for these traditional buildings, that are no longer required by their congregations, are expensive to maintain; but are otherwise important assets within our settlements will become an increasing priority as more and more become redundant; for which we would hope the Planning system will take a constructive role. This is a perfectly good use for this building and should be encouraged."

Tom Waring will work in Bream with subsequent works exhibited and sold at various galleries, mainly London and New York, he said, adding: "There is no intention to host public exhibitions or direct sales from these premises. Tom currently operates from a London Studio but needs to relocate and has chosen Bream as a place to settle down to live and work."

As a conservation project, the proposals entail retaining the external elements of the 344 square metre building, while a small terrace area as "modest outdoor space" is also requested. Internal reconfiguration will result in a two-storey, two-bedroomed accommodation section with the main studio remaining vaulted.

The final officer's report on the proposal said: "This is an excellent opportunity to retain this traditional building and provide it with a new lease of life; that retains the main worship space as an open area and provides valuable workspace for the applicant and somewhere to live; it brings a new set of potential visitors to Bream. The policies of FoDDC generally support live work units and encourage traditional artisan skills back into our communities. We contend that this is a suitable use for this site and that the scheme is appropriate and respectful to the building and the ecology."

● Tom Waring works with oil on canvas and recent praise for his work includes the USA gallery advisors Art of Choice, who said: "Through the cogs and mechanisms of the intricately detailed compositions of his paintings, Tom Waring calls upon to the viewer a fascinating mèlange of Old Master painting techniques and contemporary imagination.