Old law invoked in church toilet row

Sunday 26 November 2017

St Lawrence Parishioners have invoked an old law to force a parish assembly and vote on the £80,000 plans to build a new toilet near the entrance of their 800-year old parish church.

The notice, signed by ten parishioners and served under the Loi (1804) au Sujet des Assemblées Paroissiales, requires the Connétable, Deirdre Mezbourian, to convene an assembly within fifteen days.

The original proposal went to a parish assembly in July 2015 and was determined on a show of hands by 34 people. £80,000 of parish funds is being spent on the project

Parishioner Cynthia Rumboll said: "This iconic building has a special place in the hearts of many, many parishioners, who will be both appalled and saddened by the approved extension. We need to do better, and allow all parishioners the opportunity to consider an acceptable alternative."

Professor Warwick Rodwell, the archaeologist to the 2005 restoration and consultant Archaeologist to Westminster Abbey, said the approved extension would cause "irreparable aesthetic, architectural and archaeological damage to one of the Island’s finest medieval buildings."

A report to the Planning Applications Committee February 2016 stated: "The proposed extension and alterations would represent an irreversible negative impact on this important building.’ Although the Committee rejected the scheme, their decision was overturned on appeal."

Pictured: Parishioners want to prevent an extension to be built next to St Lawrence Church.

John McCormack, author of Channel Island Churches, has added his voice to the protest: "One would hope that the Parish itself would feel outrage at this proposal...Both the exceptionally wide cannon door and the best medieval portal in the island make the west end of St. Lawrence Church of outstanding interest."

Earlier this year, campaigners from 'Save Jersey Heritage' shared their alternative to the project, which they said was “more sympathetic and less costly." In a letter sent to Planning Minister, Deputy Steve Luce, they suggested installing a ramp at the main entrance to provide wheelchair access as well as toilet and kitchen facilities inside the church at the back of the north aisle instead of constructing an external extension.

The new parish assembly is likely to take place in the first week of December.