THREE Bicester churches have been given cash injections to help with the improvement programmes.

St Edburg’s Church, right, was granted £30,000 towards a two-phase programme of improvements which will lead to better access and greater community usage.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception was given £10,000 towards its £1.4m rear extension and the Emmanuel Church £10,000 for its £1.75m new building.

The trio of projects received the backing of Cherwell District Council’s executive, during its meeting on Monday.

Once works at St Edburg’s Church, in Church Lane, is finished it will be able to provide concerts for an audience size of 400. The first phase of the work will include a new audio-visual system, energy-efficient lighting, redecoration and removal of pews so the space can be used for community exhibitions and conferences.

Phase two is a much more long-term goal, likely to cost £750,000, which will see disabled access introduced for the whole church, new flexible seating and under-floor heating, new kitchens and toilets installed.

Once complete, the extension at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, in the Causeway, will be used as a community hall with toilets, offices, a meeting room and kitchen.

The Emmanuel Church, based at Bure Park Primary School in Lucerne Avenue, has outgrown its current arrangements and is in need of a new site.

The Rev Chris Boyce, vicar at the Emmanuel Church, said: “We’re delighted, and given these hard economic times, we’re grateful.

“We already have a host of services including marriage enrichment and preparation, debt counselling and youth work and I think the new facility will enable us to do these things better.”

Barry Wood, leader of the district council, said: “It would not be right for us to just throw money at churches.

“We must ensure their facilities will have community use, which these projects do.”