The incumbent and churchwardens of this unlisted Victorian church sought a faculty for works including the re-ordering of the chancel. This would involve removing the altar dais, putting the altar on castors, laying a new, level chancel floor and removing curtains given by the Worshipful Company of Clothmakers. There were seven written objections, including both the former and current Parochial Church Council treasurers. One objector became a party opponent. The main objection was that the re-ordering would alter the character of the church, which provided traditional Anglican worship in an area where most Anglican parishes provided more modern forms of worship. It was suggested that, while the re-ordering might make the church more accessible as a concert or event venue, it would diminish its value as a place of worship. After a hearing the chancellor found that the proposals would enable wider community use and this was to be encouraged where it was not, as here, incompatible with the church's primary purpose as a place of worship.

The chancellor expressed concerns that the incumbent had agreed that the parties would not be legally represented but then sat through the hearing with an unidentified person who was subsequently identified as partner in a large city law firm and with whom he had discussed and planned his presentation of the case. Criticism was also directed at the incumbent's report to the 2014 Annual Parochial Church Meeting, which spoke of those objecting to the proposals in derogatory terms and criticised them for exercising their right to object. A faculty was granted with conditions attached that further investigatory works be carried out supervised by the archdeacon, in consultation with the Diocesan Advisory Committee and inspecting architect, to produce a final scheme fitting for future worship and not just a concert platform. [Catherine Shelley]