Campaigners trying to save a church from demolition have received more time to work on their goal. 

The Church of St Peter and St Paul, better known as Birch Church, was built about 170 years ago. 

It has been empty since 1990 and there have been numerous attempts since then to fund a renovation process, but all have fallen through. 

Campaigners for the Save Our Spire group got together to save the historic, 110-ft spire from being demolished. 

Now, Loess Overbury-Tapper, Brian Tobin, Pail Sturgeon, Dale Rofers and Andy Culhane, who lead the Birch InSpire team, heard good news from the Chelmsford Diocese Board of Finance. 

Determined – Loess Overbury-Tapper co-leads the Birch Church Save Our Spire campaign group (Image: Loess Overbury-Tapper)Determined – Loess Overbury-Tapper co-leads the Birch Church Save Our Spire campaign group (Image: Loess Overbury-Tapper)

In a statement, the group said: “It is with the greatest of pleasure that we can confirm that Birch InSpire has received the hoped-for positive vote from the Chelmsford Diocese Board of Finance (CDBF) trustees, following the submission of our recent extensive documentation. 

“The diocesan trustees have voted to allow Birch InSpire another six months to work on targets jointly agreed by both Birch InSpire and CDBF.  

“CDBF will be forming a sub-group to work with Birch InSpire specifically on the Birch Church project. The six month period will start from the point at which the targets are jointly agreed.“ 

The campaigners see the vote as a “really big step forward” and are “absolutely delighted” to have been granted more time to work on their goal.