Plans to build a Mormon church on the site of the former Portishead Primary School have been scrapped.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed it would put up the old school in Slade Road for sale, having decided not to build a centre of worship.

The church's congregations in Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon have merged and meet in the Ellenborough Park North base in the seaside resort – it is understood the church does not need the Portishead site because of this.

A spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said: "Due to changes to our internal arrangements, the site is not required for a church building. The property is now due to be put on the market."

The church bought the site from North Somerset Council in 2006, following the building of the new multimillion-pound Portishead Primary School in Station Road.

The old school was demolished and the site has been derelict since, with metal security fencing around it.

Residents and council leaders in the town worried the site, which is next to a small park, would become a night-time magnet for anti-social behaviour and questioned when work on the church would begin.

When the former school was put up for sale three years ago, it sparked a bidding war, with a number of groups wanting to buy it.

The Walnut Grove Clinic showed an interest in buying the building and there were discussions that it could be used as a new base for the Harbourside Medical Surgery.

Other plans included turning the school into a museum and all age activity centre.

The church sealed the deal to buy the building after submitting the highest bid at £805,000.

Portishead councillors are concerned about the site being back on the market.

"This is a really good site and could be used for something which would benefit the community," said Councillor Reyna Knight, who is also chairman of the Slade Road Action Group.

"I hope that the current economic climate will not deter another buyer from coming forward and purchasing the site.

"I would like to see the land used for a facility which could be used by the whole community.

"I do not think we need further housing in Portishead, as there have already been thousands of new properties built in the town."