Divine inspiration: £18m plan to heat Bath Abbey by using Roman drains to harness the warmth of the city's ancient spring Roman drains with 45C spring water to be used for eco-heating system 850,000 litres of spring water filters to Avon each day at present Bath Abbey could be plugged into the city's Roman drains under new plans to heat the vast medieval church from ancient underground springs. The Church of England has drawn up ambitious proposals to harness energy from Bath's source of 45C spring water to power a modern day central heating system for the historic building. The Abbey, which lies at the centre of Britain's only World Heritage city, has been granted planning permission for the unique £18million scheme. Bath Abbey will have the world's first natural underfloor heating system sourced from spring water in Roman drains which is 40C Plans show how Bath Abbey will use water from the city's ancient springs which usually filters out to the River Avon Architects plan to excavate ancient crypts below the church to locate a Roman drain where 850,000 litres of natural spring water currently empties every day into the ground. Engineers hope to divert the warmed water instead through a network of underground pipes to provide a world-first natural under-floor heating system for the Abbey. Church leaders believe the plans would provide a unique source of green energy for the Abbey and help the 10th century building reconnect with its Roman roots. Bath Abbey rector Edward Marson said: "These are ambitious plans which would allow us to capture an incredible and ancient natural resource which is currently being wasted. The Abbey lies at the heart of what was once Roman Bath, and our architects have located a drain where spring water flows. As it stands, the water pours away and empties eventually into the Avon. An artist's impression of plans for Bath Abbey shows how the ground will be excavated to create the heating system, new work space and song school A new underground room for singing is part of the plans for Bath Abbey highlighted in an artist's impression A new work space will be created beneath the ground under the plans to excavate parts of Bath Abbey Our plan is to remove the floor of the Abbey, dig down and divert the drain and then pump the water through an underground heating system to warm the church. It would provide virtually all of the Abbey's heating and would give us a unique way to reduce our carbon footprint. The site of where Bath Abbey stands has been used for religious worship since 757 AD. In 973 King Edgar was crowned in the Anglo-Saxon Abbey Church which stood on the site. All kings and queens of England including Elizabeth II have had their coronations there. The present Abbey Church was founded in 1499 on the orders of the Bishop of Bath Oliver King. The Abbey lay in ruins for more than 70 years after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 by order of King Henry VIII. In the 1830s Bath architect George Manners added new pinnacles and flying buttresses to the exterior. Sir George Gilbert Scott transformed the inside of the Abbey between 1864 to 1874 in a Victorian Gothic style. The unusual plans for Bath Abbey were given approval by the city's council this month. The scheme is now set to be considered for funding by the National Lottery Heritage fund. The innovative project will be overseen by architects from Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the team responsible for new plans to transform London's South Bank. Rev Mason said the plans would help ensure Bath Abbey remained sustainable for the future. He said: "Bath has gained much as a city from its natural springs, and it is exciting to think we could harness the available resources for good use. The project would also allow us to create a new work space and song school underground. Bath Abbey has been a religious site for centuries and the current Grade I listed building was founded in 1499. The medieval building was transformed by nineteenth century architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, who used Victorian Gothic motifs across the church. The Abbey receives more than 420,000 visitors a year. 850,000 litres of spring water which usually filters through to the River Avon will be used to heat the Abbey