Below are some of the key milestones in the history of the closure of St Peter and St Paul’s Church. The timeline details the attempts made to find a new use for the church building.
Key dates: The History of the closure of Birch Church:
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October 1990: Birch Church formally closed for public worship
In October 1990 the St Peter and St Paul’s Church building was formally closed for public worship. Efforts to find an alternative use for the church commenced.
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April 1993: First major marketing period concluded
In April 1993 the first major marketing period to find a buyer concluded with no sustained interest in taking on the church building.
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March 1994: Feasibility study to reinstate public worship at Birch Church
In March 1994 the first formal attempt to demolish the building commenced. This was halted due to objections received by a number of statutory bodies and a feasibility study was carried out with a view to returning the church building to its former use as place of worship.
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July 1995: Feasibility study concludes showing no viable options
July 1995 - the feasibility study concluded showing that none of the options were viable.
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October 1995: Fresh period of marketing brings no sustained interest
October 1995 – a fresh period of marketing brought no sustained interest and so the proposal to demolish the building was reactivated.
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February 1996: Secretary of State begins a non statutory public inquiry into demolition
February 1996 – the Church Commissioners for England asked the Secretary of State whether they wished to hold a non statutory public inquiry into the demolition. The Secretary of State confirmed that they did.
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August 1997: Inquiry paused due to interest from Birch Spire Arts Trust.
August 1997 – the Inquiry was paused to allow exploration of potential use of the building by the Birch Spire Arts Trust.
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June 2002: Birch Spire Arts Trust withdraws interest.
June 2002 – having been unsuccessful in obtaining grant funding, the Birch Spire Arts Trust withdrew their interest.
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October 2002: New proposal for a residential property
October 2002 – it was proposed that the building become a residential property that would made possible by an enabling development.
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2008: Residential proposals fall through
2008 – due to the economic downturn the proposals for a residential development fell through.
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2009 - 2012: No substantial proposals are brought forward and a second proposal for demolition is made
Between 2009 and 2012 a number of speculative uses were explored but no substantial proposals were brought forward. Consequently, a second proposal for demolition was made.
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2014: Secretary of State announces a non statutory public inquiry into the demolition
In 2014 the Secretary of State again decided to hold a non statutory public inquiry into the demolition.
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2018: Inquiry abandoned and new proposal for residential development received
In early 2018 the inquiry was abandoned to look at a fresh proposal for residential conversion.
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Late 2021: Proposal for residential conversion withdrawn
In late 2021 the proposal for residential conversion was withdrawn. The process for demolition was reactivated.
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2022: Plans for memorial garden are made and demolition of the building is authorised
In August 2022 after all other options had been explored, and after all statutory bodies confirmed they did not wish to object to demolition, a legal document, known as a Pastoral Scheme, authorising demolition was made and then brought into effect in October 2022.
Plans were brought forward for a memorial garden on the site of Birch Church.
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October 2023: Meeting between Save our Spire and Chelmsford Diocese
Chelmsford Diocese representatives meet with representatives of the Save our Spire group and engage in a conversation with the group as to whether it would still be possible to transfer ownership of the site if the Save our Spire group can form a viable proposal to restore, receive and maintain the spire.
Meanwhile, the professional advice provided by ecological consultants who work on behalf of Essex County Council confirmed that no demolition work can take place before April 2024 due to the presence of bats.
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December 2023: Postponement of demolition to allow Save our Spire Time to present a detailed, fully funded and credible proposal.
The Trustees of the Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance agree to postpone the demolition of the church building in order to provide the Save our Spire Group with a period up until the end of June 2024 to present a detailed, fully funded and credible proposal to Chelmsford Diocese. Such a proposal could then be used as the basis to apply for a new scheme from the Church Commissioners as an alternative to demolition.
