A MEDIEVAL church in North Hinksey could be transformed for the community to use.

Plans for St Lawrence Church include installing toilets, a small kitchenette and replacing the pews.

The project would swap the old pews with stackable pews or seats to open up the space for different community groups to use the church more.

Rector of Osney, the Rev Clare Sykes, said: “We want to bring it in to wider community use.

“We intend to clear the nave area of the pews to make it a multi-functional space while keeping the chancel area for worship – that is the original building so that will remain as it is.”

The nave is the large area of the church where the congregation usually sits while the chancel is the area in front of the alter.

She added: “The aim of any church development project is to enhance what is there. People tend to throw their arms up in horror when churches are changed but the aim is for it to be used and the heritage preserved.”

The Norman-designed church in North Hinksey Lane was built in 1100.

It is currently used once a week on Sunday for a service, once a week for music lessons by North Hinksey Primary School, for meetings by the Diocese of Oxford which is based in the old vicarage next door, and for occasional weddings, baptisms, funerals and concerts.

Both the school and Diocese of Oxford are short of space and both want to use the church more.

North Hinksey Primary School headteacher Sally Wheatley said: “The school has grown so we don’t have much space. We anticipate it will be a very useful space for us.

“We are quite excited; we think it will be a really good thing.”

The school has grown from 170 pupils to 205 over the past four years.

Costings for the work haven’t been drawn up.

The plans are being formed to be submitted to the diocesan advisory committee in the autumn. Because it is a church the application does not have to be submitted to Oxford City Council.