Middle classes have become obsessed with stained glass and church pews rather than religion

Middle-class churchgoers are obsessed with pews and heritage at the expense of religious belief, a Church of England judge has said.

Ruling that a Victorian church could remove its pews as part of a £2 million overhaul,  the Chancellor of the Diocese of Gloucester said the plans had been blocked by "architectural purists" who cared more about the appearance of the church than its religious purpose.

The congregation of St Philip and St James in Cheltenham had been forced into a 17-year battle with conservationists over plans to build glass “pods” for meeting rooms and install underfloocr heating.

Chancellor June Rodgers warned that the congregation's wishes were being blocked by "professional objectors" who "can be indifferent to the actual use of a church" but who are "besotted with the purity/rareness/example of a particular architect".

“Artistic heritage, on occasions, can appear to become [a] professional middle class substitute for religious observance or belief,” she said in her ruling.

“Actually much of what is being proposed is fairly non-controversial, save, perhaps, to architectural purists.”

Parishioners supporting the changes argued “that pews have stolen the Church of England from the people of England, creating often empty spaces and a requirement for church halls”.  

Instead they wanted a “flexible hospitable space, without pews, that could host banquets, exhibitions, concerts, workshops, a cafe or a temporary night shelter”.

The decision comes amid a wider nationwide debate about the purpose of church buildings with reformist efforts in the Church of England frequently clashing with conservation groups.

Bath Abbey won a case against The Victorian Society last year allowing it to proceed with a £19.3 million project to remove the pews and restore a collapsing floor so it could host art exhibitions and cake stalls.

The case set a wider precedent for consistory courts to approve renovation plans so churches could host community events and homeless shelters.

The Victorian Society were also the most entrenched objectors to the changes at St Phillip and St James.

The charity described it a building "in peril" and James Hughes, senior conservation adviser, denied it was a question of "middle-class objectors".

"Most of the main heritage bodies have released some quite significant concerns with this project," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"What is most concerning for us is the judgement doesn't really address the issue of need and necessity.

"The parish doesn't lay out why such controversial, intrusive and ultimately harmful proposals are needed," he added.

"Any harm to a building of grade 2 listed status should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances and it is not clear to us what about this case is exceptional."

The Rev Nick Davies, priest in charge of St Philip and St James, expressed frustration that the case had consumed the tenures of his four predecessors.

“We are the ones who live in this community. We are the ones who have a vision for the future and we are the ones who pay the bills,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

“It is difficult when outside organisations who have none of those relationships seek to undermine those who have a vision for a sustainable future.”

He added: “There is a danger that conservation organisations can end up undermining the very thing that they are working toward which is opening up access to these building.”