A NEW gallery could boost the capacity of an Oxford city centre church after its congregation pledged more than £1m for the work.

St Ebbe's Church needs to expand following growth in the number of regular churchgoers over the past 10 years, and a planning application has now been submitted to the city council.

Church manager Andy Menary said he hoped plans would be approved by August, with work starting on the £1.5m project in January.

He added: "We are delighted this has been created by rising congregations but we have hit a glass ceiling now where the church can't get any fuller.

"Our plan is to start building work in January and it is expected to last until September - during that time the congregation will have to find a new home, which is daunting but exciting at the same time.

"Talks have started with other churches in the city to see if they could help us on a temporary basis.

"We think it could be a good thing – lots of other churches who have experienced something similar have actually benefited from worshipping in a different location.

"There was a gallery in the church in the 18th century but at some point it was removed."

Mr Menary said St Ebbe's welcomed a mixed congregation of students, young professionals, families and older people.

The U-shaped gallery will be installed to provide an extra 200 seats for larger Sunday services and midweek community groups which attract up to 150 people.

The church's exterior is not set to change, apart from the demolition of a small building – which currently links the church with the neighbouring parish centre.

It will be replaced by a two-storey extension to provide staircase access to the new gallery.

Project management group chairman Tim Dossor said in a statement attached to the plans: "St Ebbe’s position close to the centre of Oxford has opened up a wide range of opportunities for ministry and growth.

"We are an evangelical Anglican church with an eclectic congregation and God has blessed us with both large and growing Sunday congregations and midweek groups.

"There is strong support for the project and a commitment to take St Ebbe’s forward to be able to make the most of the opportunities God gives us in the next 15 to 20 years, shown particularly by the congregation, which in May pledged £1.4m towards the project."

Mr Menary said world-renowned architect Quinlan Terry was "a friend of the church" and has been asked to complete the project.

The church will try to source any additional funding needed from trust funds, grants or donors.

Christians have been meeting on the same site since the eighth century and there was major rebuilding in 1814 and 1816, with the church enlarged again between 1862 and 1868.