A consultation on plans to open up St Peter’s Church tower in Sandwich has taken place, helping the project to move forward.

Owners of the church Churches Conservation Trust, along with architect Malcolm Fryer and the Friends of St Peter’s Church, invited people to the consultation at the church on Thursday.

It was an opportunity to view designs, meet those working on the project and ask questions, as well as to submit views.

More than 50 residents attended, with a number staying to view a presentation.

The trust will now spend a week compiling people’s written opinions before submitting a planning application in the coming months. They are looking to gain consent by the end of the year.

The changes will be the most significant the church – which had more than 50,000 visitors last year – has seen in four years.

Plans are not only to provide public access to the tower through guided tours, but also to create direct access to the secret garden, a toilet and potential catering facilities.

The trust has until early next year to cash in on a grant from the government to help fund the work, so plans are moving with pace.

Churches Conservation Trust director for the South East Peter Aiers said: “The idea of Thursday was to make sure we know what people support and don’t support, what they like and don’t like. We’ve got to move quite quickly with it. This was our only way of getting a mass view.”

Talking exclusively to the Mercury, Mr Fryer, whose training is in sensitivity to historic fabric, explained that all of his work is 100% reversible.

He has designed a new timber staircase which will weave through the church’s clock and bells, allowing around five or six people at one time to travel to the top of the tower and view perfect sights of the medieval town, as well as over the Channel.

He said: “The destination is spectacular, but the journey should be an exciting experience as well. It’s about celebrating and revealing what is so important about this church as well as making it sustainable and relevant.

“We feel it’s a really worthy and worthwhile project.”

When dealing with the more controversial aspects of the plans, such as the toilet and the relocation of two memorial plaques and a bench, Mr Fryer has pledged to make the toilet as discreet as possible, as well as to work closely and sensitively with the families of those on the memorials.

Anne Evans, chairman of the Friends of St Peter’s Church, said: “We’ve wanted to be able to go up the tower ever since I became chairman, and that’s about 10 years.

“I am 100% behind the opening of the tower. I would agree with the toilets being looked at if it affected the visitor numbers coming to the tower.”

Mayor of Sandwich Cllr Paul Graeme said: “I would hope the people of the town fully support it. It can only be good for the benefit, vibrancy and tourism of the town.”

If you would like to share your views, contact the Churches Conservation Trust on southeast@thecct.org.uk or phone 01223 324442.