The church had planning approval granted last year – and also had the backing of the congregation, the parish and the Anglican Church in Jersey – to build an extension to the north of the 800-year-old building to create a toilet and enable disabled access. The plans also included creating a kitchen inside the church.
However, Save Jersey’s Heritage believe that the work would damage the historic aesthetic of the church and appealed to Environment Minister Steve Luce to block the proposals.
The Minister has rejected the alternative proposals from Save Jersey’s Heritage, and in a letter to the organisation’s president, Marcus Binney, said that using his ministerial power to change the approved plans was not in the public interest.
Save Jersey’s Heritage says that it will continue to fight the plans and said that they were now intending to speak to the new Dean of Jersey, the Rev Michael Keirle, to discuss their concerns. The heritage group also wants to hold further public meetings to attempt to have the design changed.
The group has delivered leaflets to all parishioners in St Lawrence outlining its opposition to the development, and Mr Binney has said that support for the campaign is growing.
He said: ‘We fully accept the need to upgrade St Lawrence Parish Church with a modern toilet facility, and that disabled access to both the toilet and the church is a requirement.
‘Our alternative proposal achieves these objectives without the need for any changes to the exterior of the building, thereby preserving the external fabric – including the important Canon Door – of a Norman church that has existed since 1200. A number of Britain’s ancient churches have had toilets constructed inside the building in a discreet and sympathetic manner – it is not unheard of.’
