But soon, songs of praise could echo through Yallah's historic woolshed building, with Wollongong's Lighthouse Church lodging long-held plans to transform the roadside barn into a public place of worship.

The Pentecostal group has owned the Yallah woolshed and surrounding buildings since 2009, and has revealed plans to convert the venue into a church.

When Lighthouse bought the site six years ago, executive pastor Ross Stewart foreshadowed that the building would one day become a church, saying there were plans for an internal renovation to create an auditorium, cafe and childcare facilities.

Under the new plans, the building - which was most recently used as a discount Christmas decoration shop - would be refitted to include a main worship auditorium, creche, Sunday school, parents room and office space.

A church service would be held on Sundays, attracting 140 adults, the plans say, while other areas of the building would be used during the week for playgroups, band practice, meetings, youth group and hot desking.

The plans say these uses would be ‘‘fully contained within the existing building footprint’’, with only minor changes to install three new entry doors and four new windows.

The lairy red and yellow building will be repainted in understated grey and white tones, with a colour scheme document showing that the church also hopes to maintain some of the worn charm of the building using distressed brickwork and motley paint highlights.

In seeking approval for the works to go ahead, the development application says the church will improve the appearance of the building and install updated signage.

‘‘There are no features of this proposal that could be interpreted as detrimental to the public interest,’’ the plans say.

‘‘[It] is simply utilising existing infrastructure to provide an opportunity to accommodate the growing congregation of an existing local religious group.’’

The proposal comes after Lighthouse last year lodged plans to transform the neighbouring 104-year-old homestead and build four two-storey homes on the woolshed site for a centre for young people at risk of homelessness.

 This complex would have been  known as a ‘‘Community Leadership and Innovation Centre’’ and would have operated as a 28-bed hostel. As part of the proposal the 104-year-old homestead, Yallah House, would have been converted into an office with kitchenette, a board room,  interview and  television rooms and toilets.

According to Wollongong Council’s website, this proposal was withdrawn in September  2014.

The  woolshed plans   will be on exhibition until July 15.

1910 The original ‘‘Yallah House’’ residence is built. It remains a heritage-listed example of onsite concrete construction of the early 1900s.

Pre-1980s The woolshed operates as a wool store and skin-drying shed.

December 1992 Music venue Yallah Woolshed opens under proprietor Matt Hough, attracting country music and classic rock gigs like John Williamson, LeAnn Rimes and Don McLean. The venue also hosted ‘‘Cowboy Boogie’’ nights for line-dancers and car shows.

February 2005  The venue sells for $2.5 million to the Molnar Property Group.

June 2005 After 13 years, the Yallah Woolshed becomes the Yallah Roadhouse, with an extra performance space named the ‘‘Shooters Bar’’ to hold smaller acts. The venue attracts acts like Wolfmother, Paul Kelly, Xavier Rudd and Josh Pyke.

2007 The Yallah Roadhouse closes its doors unexpectedly after about 15 years of being a popular live music venue.

2009 Lighthouse Church Ltd buys the woolshed – then known as the Yallah Roadhouse – for $2.3million.

Pre-2014 The woolshed is leased to a Christmas decorations seller.

2014 Lighthouse Pentecostal church lodges, and then withdraws, plans for a 28-bed hostel catering for young people at risk of homelessness.

2015 The church lodges plans to turn site into a place of worship.