Wolvesey Palace, the historic home of the Bishops of Winchester since Anglo-Saxon times, will stay empty as the Church of England works to cut its carbon emissions.

The Grade-I-listed building has been unoccupied since former bishop Tim Dakin stepped down in February 2022. The new Bishop of Winchester, Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, is instead living in a £1.2million house in the city centre.

Church Commissioners, who manage the palace, say it needs major updates to replace its old heating system with an environmentally friendly one. The planned renovations, expected to take two years, could face difficulties because of the building’s protected status.

“We need to make the building and site more accessible, replace the heating system, and ensure we take account of the Church of England’s net-zero ambitions,” Alistair Hammond, a member of the Church Commissioners said. The denomination aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.

The cost of the work hasn’t been revealed, with Hammond calling it a "private matter." However, not everyone agrees with the spending. A lay minister from the diocese, who asked to stay anonymous, told the Daily Mail: “I would rather see church money spent on employing more clergy.”

A spokesperson for the bishop responded by saying: “All the costs of diocesan bishops... are paid by the Commissioners who own the property, not by the diocese.”

While the church’s focus on cutting emissions has been praised, some have questioned whether this should take priority over other areas like funding clergy.