Reordering

Notwithstanding his concerns that there had not been adequate consultation during the faculty process, the Chancellor granted a faculty for reordering, which included the creation of a new vicar’s vestry in the Parish Centre; rearrangement of the west end of the church, including the removal of 6 pews, to provide additional storage, the serving of refreshments after services, and a larger meeting space.

The petitioners were the priest in charge and a churchwarden of an unlisted church built in 1974. Their proposal was to remove 18 pews and introduce 100 wooden chairs with red upholstery. The DAC did not recommend the proposal, stating that the chairs were heavy and would be difficult to move, and the dark red upholstered chairs would be detrimental to the light levels and appearance of the church interior. At a visit to the church and to a neighbouring church, which already had the same type of chair as that proposed, the Chancellor was satisfied that the chairs were not too heavy or difficult to stack. Moreover, the existing pews (acquired from another church) were painted with a yellowish colour and were looking chipped and tired, and they easily slid on the parquet floor, if leaned on. The Chancellor was satisfied that the chairs were a better and more comfortable alternative to the pews and he therefore granted a faculty.

Having already granted a faculty to authorise the replacement of pews with chairs and the removal and disposal of the pulpit and the font, the Chancellor delivered this judgment to explain his reasons for granting the faculty. The reason for the proposals was to enable the church to accommodate two children's groups which had previously met in a now dilapidated building in the churchyard. The pews were plain and had no particular value historically or artistically; the pulpit  was freestanding and not original to the building, being dated 1924; and the font had been heavily painted with a matt cream paint which had obscured its decorative features. Neither the pulpit nor the font were of historic value.

A faculty was sought for the installation of glazed timber screening to the south side transept chapel; disabled access to the chapel; and a new heating system; as well as a confirmatory faculty for the installation of a Frank Bodley reredos above the altar, which had been donated from a redundant church in Liverpool. The Chancellor granted a faculty. He was satisfied that the screening of the chapel, whilst constituting some modest harm to the building, would not cause a significant impact, and the work would be reversible in the future, if the need arose. Also, any harm would be outweighed by the benefit of having a useful small worship or meeting space which was economic to heat.

The petitioners applied for permission to carry out some reordering works, which included the removal of three areas of pews, additional storage cupboards and the introduction of stackable chairs. The Victorian Society (which did not seek to be a party opponent) objected that the stackable chairs would "cause gratutitous harm" to the Grade I listed church. The Chancellor was satisfied that the petitioners had made a good case for the proposals and accordingly granted a faculty.

The proposal was to remove the pews from the church and replace them with chairs from the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool. The church is an elaborately-decorated Victorian church listed Grade II*, though from an inspection the Chancellor describes the pews as "not in a particularly good condition, certainly not ergonomically comfortable or efficient, but certainly simple in form". The church had gone through a period of decline, but was now developing with a mission for outreach, and wished to provide a more flexible space for a number of activities, including the hosting of food banks, messy church, arts projects, plays and concerts. The Chancellor concluded that the removal of the pews would not result in any particular harm to the significance of the building and its special architectural or historic interest, and that there would be substantial benefits to the church. He therefore granted a faculty.

The petitioners sought permission to undertake some internal works to create toilets (including disabled), a kitchen area and a small vestry and office in the Grade II* listed church. The Victorian Society argued that the curved wall of the proposed vestry and office "pod" would be at odds with the design of the church. However, the Chancellor concluded that any harm caused by the construction would be minimal, and not intrusive. He granted a faculty, subject to a condition that, in order to make the curved wall less obtrusive, the architect should consider the feasibility of suitable panelling of a style and colour to match that in place under the adjacent organ pipes.

Petition for scheme for reordering involving the removal of some Victorian pews, the provision of WC and kitchenette facilities, improved disabled access, the replacement of the porch doors and the provision of a movable nave altar and communion rails. Re St. Alkmund Duffield considered, the Chancellor concluding that "the limited harm which these proposals will cause to this church is clearly outweighed by the significant public benefit to be achieved." Faculty granted.

The petitioners sought permission "to remove (temporarily) the pews in the south aisle to create space for post-service fellowship and missional/social activities, and to provide a temporary kitchenette pending approval of a future major development project to reorder the church interior and construct an extension". The Victorian Society, Local Planning Authority and Historic England were basically satisfied with the proposals for temporary reordering, subject to them being time-limited. The Chancellor was satisfied with the petitioners' justification for the short term proposals and that the benefits of the proposals would outweigh any harm. He granted a faculty for two years, after which the status quo should be restored, unless at the end of that period there was a petition before the court for more permanent reordering proposals.

The was a petition for internal reordering of the church. An interim faculty had been granted in 2021, authorisng certain works, conditional upon an application being made for a permanent faculty within 24 months. Notwithstanding the reservations of some statutory consultees, the Chancellor was satisfied that the works would improve liturgical use of the building and permit a range of community uses for concerts and events, and that the public benefit in implementing the proposals would outweigh the limited harm that would result.