The Faculty Jurisdiction (Care of Places of Worship) Rules 2000

Consultation with the Council for the Care of Churches

15.—(1) Paragraph (2) of this rule applies where a petition for a faculty:

(a) concerns an article of particular historic, architectural, archaeological or artistic interest, and involves the introduction, conservation, alteration or disposal of that article,

(b) involves the alteration to or extension of a building listed under the Act or the re-ordering of any building, which is likely in the opinion of the chancellor significantly to affect (when completed) the setting of any such article as is described in sub-paragraph (a), or

(c) involves the movement or removal of any such article, which in the opinion of the advisory committee may be adversely affected thereby unless specific precautions are taken.

(2) Where paragraph (1) applies then, unless the chancellor is satisfied that there has already been consultation with the Council for the Care of Churches in respect of the proposals the subject of the petition, insofar as they relate to the article in question, the chancellor shall direct the registrar to serve on the Council notice in Form No 8 in Appendix C.

(3) In any case not within paragraph 1 of this rule where the chancellor considers that advice from the Council would be of assistance in relation to a petition for a faculty, the chancellor may direct the registrar to serve on the Council notice in Form No 8.

(4) Where notice in Form No 8 is served under this rule, the registrar shall also serve on the Council a copy of the petition and such plans and other relevant documents which were submitted to the Registry under rule 5(1) as the registrar considers appropriate.

(5) The written advice of the Council in response to such a notice shall be sent to the registrar as soon as practicable but in any event no later than six weeks from the date of receipt of the notice; if no such advice is received within six weeks (or such longer period as may be granted on request from the Council), the chancellor may proceed to determine the petition without such advice.

(6) For the purposes of this rule, ‘article’ means an object fixed to land or a building, and a part of any such object.