A faculty was sought for the sale of land with a vicarage to Southwark Council, to knock down the old church hall and to build a new hall and vicarage on the site and within the curtilage of the Grade II listed church. The hall would be connected to the south door of the church by a porch and would, with the internal re-ordering envisaged at the south door entrance, afford far better access and facilities, particularly for those with wheelchairs. While noting that it would affect the appearance and therefore the historic and architectural interest of the church, the Diocesan Advisory Committee approved the proposal and was supported by Historic England. The Victorian Society, who were initially overlooked in the consultation, objected to the proposals. They argued that the new hall should be further away from the church so as to ‘allow it to breathe’. Applying the Duffield guidelines, the deputy chancellor found that the siting of the proposed new hall did not significantly impact on the appearance of the church itself. It would affect the overall setting but would enhance rather than detract from the setting by replacing an old, tired and ugly hall with a better building that would complement the church and ensure that it remained the main focus. [Catherine Shelley]