The petition sought a faculty for the removal of pews from this Grade II listed Victorian church. An earlier faculty had permitted removal of one pew and relocation of the entrance and a choir stall. The further proposals were required to allow more flexible space for worship and community use, alongside more comfortable seating. The Diocesan Advisory Committee and Historic England approved the proposals but the Victorian Society objected, arguing that removal of the pews would harm the overall appearance of the Victorian interior and that increased space could be created by extending the church hall. The chancellor held that, although the proposed works would harm the building's historic and architectural significance, the features cited as significant in the listing entry related to the exterior and the church's place as part of a group of Victorian buildings; the pews were not mentioned. On that basis, the contribution that the pews made to the building's special significance was limited and the harm caused by their removal would not be grave. The public benefit that would result was strong. The faculty was granted. [Catherine Shelley]