CONTROVERSIAL plans to remove five historic tombstones and improve facilities at Fair-ford United Church have been deferred by members.

Council officers had recommended the applications, which included removing tombstones, making alterations inside the church, a hard landscaping scheme and listed building consent to reposition the boundary wall, be refused.

In a letter, the architects said the church wanted to improve and adapt the building to become 'a more overt Christian presence in Fairford'.

The applications were deferred for further negotiations.