Rural communities and market towns are among the areas that will benefit from a £27m church-building scheme, says the Church of England.

More than a hundred new churches are to be created as part of the Renewal and Reform programme in coastal areas, market towns and outer urban housing estates.

The plan has been backed by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as a ‘wonderful example’ of how churches are seeking to serve local communities.

The grants from the Church of England’s Strategic Development Fund have been awarded to dioceses with the aim of creating a growing church in all places for all people.

In Cambridgeshire, for example, a £2.13m Changing Market Towns initiative will focus on the market towns of Wisbech, March, Chatteris, Littleport, Ramsey, Huntingdon and Downham Market.

The  Archbishop of Canterbury said: "The Church of England exists to share the good news of Jesus through our words and our actions.

"Across the country, churches are bursting with life – which in part is shown through how they love and serve their communities.

"I’m especially pleased about these grants because they demonstrate our commitment to following Jesus to the places of greatest need in our society."

The Changing Market Towns funding aims help attract new congregations and set up new forms of church services.

It will also help to pay for a network of community support workers with family, youth and other specialisms.

The Church of England says this will help local people transform their area, building new partnerships between the church and local communities.

Other elements of the project will include the development of a learning community for theology and mission in Wisbech.

This will aim to equip non-ordained ministers and other trained volunteers to develop new partnerships between the churches and the wider community.

Bishop of Ely Stephen Conway said: “I am delighted that this major project has received support from the Strategic Development Fund.

“We hope that, through it, very many more people will be enabled to join a journey of faith and share in God’s work of transforming their communities.”

He added: “It is far-reaching, complex and ambitious and an expression of our faith in the power of God.”