Wellow village Church will be allowed to build an extension to its century tower — which is believed to date to the 15th century — Councillors have decided.

St Julian’s Church in Wellow said that a sunken flat-roof extension containing a kitchenette and toilets with baby-changing facilities was needed to keep the building in use.

Historic England and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings opposed the plans for the Grade I listed church, warning that it would affect a large amount of the tower’s historic masonry.

But Bath and North East Somerset Council’s planning committee voted unanimously to let the extension be built, overturning the recommendation of the council’s own planning officers to refuse the application, although planning permission will not be granted immediately.

Instead, the authority to grant planning permission was delegated to the Council’s planning staff when they are satisfied the applicant has met any necessary conditions.

Wellow parish councillor Pat Caudle came to the meeting to speak in support of the church’s plans. She said: “Wellow parish council have concerns that St Julian’s church runs the risk of becoming redundant unless the toilet and […] kitchen are installed to attract greater use of the building, both for religious and secular events.”

Currently, the church only has a blue portable toilet outside. Ms Caudle said that an opera group had been interested in performing at the church, but had changed their mind due to the lack of toilets.

She added: “With the greatest respect to the conservation bodies, if their guidelines had been followed hundreds of years ago, none of our churches would be as they are now. They have evolved through the centuries and their very fabric shows these changes.”

Architect Johnathan Hetreed told the committee: “This is the best solution in the best location for this wonderful church.”

He added that the new doorway from the tower to the extension would echo the style of the other door and be formed and vaulted of the tower’s own stone.

Matt McCabe, who represents the village on Bath and North East Somerset Council said: “It’s a landmark church in a rural setting. It’s beautiful and its evocative.”

But he said that the committee should consider the needs of elderly worshippers who would need to use the toilet, rather than just the fabric of the building. He said: “People want to be able to worship with some dignity.”

St Julian’s has a regular congregation of about twenty, but the committee was told it often fills up for special events such as at Christmas.