A guide to permissions

The majority of church buildings, their contents and churchyards are protected by Faculty Jurisdiction. Under this legislation, carrying out repairs or making changes to your church building and churchyard needs approval from the Chancellor of the Diocese. Obtaining permission is a legal requirement and you must have permission in place before work starts. It doesn’t matter who is doing the work – the PCC, the local authority (for a closed churchyard), the Friends Group, or other volunteers – permission is still required.

The following video provides a five minute guide to the types of permission and how to make an application.

The content of this video is also available in pdf format by clicking here.

In summary, the types of permission are:

The matters included in List A and B are set nationally, with the exception of List B ‘Additional Matters Orders’, which are locally determined.

Archdeacons can decline to authorise List B works, even if they are included in the national list. They may consider that the work proposed does not fall within List B, or that it should be subject to the full Faculty procedures.

If it is not specifically included in List A or B, then Faculty permission is required.

The following work always needs Faculty permission (i.e. cannot be carried out under List A or B):

Work which involves alteration to or extension of a listed building to such an extent as would be likely to affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest.
Works which are likely to affect the archaeological importance or a building or any archaeological remains within a building or its curtilage.
Works for all or part of which scheduled monument consent is required under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
A matter which gives rise to a question or law or doctrine, ritual or ceremonial, or which would, if undertaken, affect the legal rights of any person.
The exhumation or other disturbance of human remains (contact the Registry for these enquiries).
The reservation of a grave space (contact the Registry for these enquiries).
The sale or other disposal of an article of architectural, archaeological, artistic or historic interest.
The sale of any book remaining in or belonging to a parochial library.
The introduction of an aumbry or other receptacle used for the reservation of the sacrament of Holy Communion.
The introduction of a monument, or the carrying out of work to a monument erected in or on, or on the curtilage of, a church or other consecrated building or on consecrated ground.

You can find out more about each of the types of permission, a full list of A & B matters, and a guide to making an application (including the information required), using the links below.