Reordering

Since 2000, the church of St. Michael (now annexed to St. Mary the Great) has undergone major reordering to create a cafe and meeting rooms in the nave, with the chancel left as a worship area separated from the nave by a glass screen. The church now sought a faculty to remove the remaining pews from the chancel, raise the floor level and replace the pews with Howe 40/4 seats, to enable the building to be used more effectively for the community which the church serves. The Victorian Society objected to the removal of Victorian fittings. The Chancellor determined that there was a strong justification for carrying out the proposals and granted a faculty.

The petitioners sought a faculty to remove four pews from the west end of the nave beneath the gallery, the doors and panelling to be salvaged for reuse; to introduce a new disabled accessible WC into the north-west corner, new cupboards into the south-west corner, and a kitchen into the base of the tower; to introduce a new upper floor into the tower with a balustrade to the west window and a new access door in the tower arch partition; to introduce a new foul drainage system on the site of the former underground boiler-house in the north-west re-entrant angle; and to reduce the base of the font by removing one step. The Georgian Group became a party opponent, objecting to the removal of some box pews to allow a disabled toilet to be built. The Chancellor granted a faculty: " ... although there will be a small loss to this historical and architectural heritage asset, the loss will be far outweighed by the benefit to the community."

The proposal was to install heated pew runners to all pews. There were four objectors, who did not wish to become parties opponent. The Chancellor found no substance in the objections and granted a faculty.

The proposals were to create an accessible lean-to WC to the north of the nave with access from inside the church via the north door, and a tea-point at the west end of the south aisle. The installation of the tea point would require the shortening of four pews and one pew frontal. Historic England was opposed to the shortening of the ancient pews, but did not become a party opponent. The Chancellor decided to grant a faculty, being satisfied that only modest harm would be caused to the character of the building and that such harm as would be caused by the works would be more than outweighed by the resulting improvements to the way in which the church could be used for worship and mission.

Various items of re-ordering were proposed. The Victorian Society objected to the extension and alteration of the porch to provide a disabled access toilet (a new entrance lobby to be created). A parishioner objected to the proposed cupboards for the south transept and the placing of an altar at the southern end of the St. Thomas's Chapel in the south transept. Neither the Victorian Society nor the parishioner became a party opponent. Faculty granted.

St. Michael le Belfrey York is a Grade I 16th century church standing next to York Minster. It is a Resource Church for York Diocese and the Northern Province. It has a weekly congregation of 500+ and has plans for further growth. The Faculty petition contained plans for a major reordering, estimated to cost £10m (of which £8m was already obtained or pledged). The work would involve major changes to the historic fabric, including (inter alia) removal of the gallery and stairs and replacement with a new gallery with lift access; replacement of pews with chairs; and the installation of a full immersion baptism pool. The Chancellor found there to be exceptional levels of public benefit to be derived from the works and compelling reasons to permit the works, notwithstanding the loss of historic fabric and fittings, in order to enable this vibrant and thriving church to meet its missional objectives.

The Parochial Church Council sought a faculty for the installation of a frameless glass door into the porch opening. The Diocesan Advisory Committee did not support the proposal: the door would look too modern; a wooden or metal frame would be preferable. Historic England, the Victorian Society and the Ancient Monuments Society also objected. The Chancellor concluded that a frameless glass door would have an adverse aesthetic effect on the Grade I listed church. He according declined to approve a frameless glass door, but approved a wood-framed or metal-framed glass door of a design acceptable to the Diocesan Advisory Committee.

There was a proposal to install a ringing floor and stairs in the church tower. The reason for the application was that the choir and ringers had to share the same space in the tower before services for robing and ringing. The Chancellor was satisfied that the project would result in distinct advantages and accordingly granted a faculty.

The petitioners sought a faculty for extensive reordering at the Grade II listed church, including removal of choir stalls and pews, glazing of the west doors, handrails, relocation of the sound desk, levelling of the chancel with ramped access, carpeting, and a movable pulpit. The DAC supported the scheme; the Victorian Society maintained objections. Applying the Duffield questions, the Chancellor granted faculties for the glazed doors, handrails, sound desk, removal of the platform and communion rail, levelling of the chancel, and ramped access. He also permitted removal of five rear pews, subject to prior approval of replacement flooring. He refused faculties for removal of the choir stalls and relocation of the pulpit, finding inadequate evidence of their significance or justification for change. He held that removal of existing carpets would be unlikely to harm significance but found the petitioners had not given due regard to the CBC’s Historic Floors Guidance when proposing new and extended carpeting. He allowed resubmission of revised flooring proposals within six months, failing which that part of the petition would stand dismissed."

The petition proposed various items as the second phase of a reordering project. The main items were: the creation of a servery built on to the north wall at the west end of the church; removal of seven rows of pews at the west end of the church; and removal of two rows of pews at the front of the nave to allow an extension to the existing dais. The Victorian Society and Historic England had reservations about the works, but the Chancellor was satisfied that the petitioners had made an adequate case for the proposed works: " ... I find that the petitioners have proved to me to the necessary degree that the moderate harm that will be caused to the significance of this church as a building of special architectural or historic interest is justified by the need demonstrated."