The Anglican Church in Adelaide will sell off part of its historic archbishop's residence, freeing up money to pay compensation to church sex abuse victims.

Synod members met yesterday and agreed to break up Bishop's Court, the home of Adelaide's Anglican archbishops since 1856, by subdividing a 1000sqm section of the grounds that used to be a tennis court.

Archbishop Jeffrey Driver said the decision to subdivide the property, near St Peter's Cathedral in North Adelaide, was subject to approval from another church body and himself. However, Archbishop Driver said he had indicated he would consent to the sale of the land, expected to fetch about $1.4 million.

The synod, which runs the Adelaide diocese, voted on Saturday not to sell the whole of Bishop's Court.

Archbishop Driver said while any money from the subdivision had to be used to support the See, which maintains Bishop's Court and funds the ministry of the bishop, it would allow money from the synod's budget to be applied elsewhere.

"It will help the synod's budget to deal with the effects of payments for sexual abuse cases," Archbishop Driver said.

The Adelaide diocese took out a $7.5 million loan to pay the victims of sex abuse.

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