A church in Newcastle has been reprimanded by a church court for buying gas heaters rather than a more eco-friendly source of heating.

Earlier this year, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of Holy Cross in Fenham paid a non-refundable deposit of £17,000 on new gas heaters to upgrade the church's existing system. However an application for official permission was only submitted four months later.

The Consistory Court of the Diocese of Newcastle said the deposit should not have ben paid before permission had been received and that the PCC should have considered installing a more eco-friendly heat pump or electric heating instead.

However, while the Judge, Simon Wood described it as "an embarrassing episode in the governance of Holy Cross which it is hoped will not be repeated,” he granted retrospective permission. He also ordered the church to enter a “carbon offsetting scheme” to make up for the emissions of the new system. 

The case reflects the challenges and expense faced by churches in meeting the Church of England's net zero carbon target by 2030.

Members of Holy Cross Church said they had decided against installing a heat pump because it would not be allowed on greenbelt land outside the church. The electric system was also found to be too expensive, costing between £59,000 and £86,000.

Rev Dr Ian Paul, a member of the General Synod and the Archbishops’ Council told The Telegraph that the case "illustrates the real problem of virtue signalling by those who are far removed from the realities of parish life.

“The comments of the judge show a complete failure to understand the challenges of ministry in local churches on the ground.

“And it also points to the failure of General Synod to properly think through the consequences of their motion on net zero.

“The biggest challenge to the environment comes from the growth in China’s use of energy – and our purchase of Chinese goods – and not what one parish had done to maintain its weekly worship in its historic building.”