Converting a Church

A church or chapel might not instantly hit you as being the most obvious of conversion opportunities, yet each year a good handful of redundant churches and chapels, which have fallen out of their intended ecclesiastical use, make for some of the most exciting and striking conversions. And the good news is they are zero rated for VAT.

A ‘Redundant Church’ is one that is no longer required by the Church, and has been formerly closed (so they aren’t all up for grabs), and there is a surprisingly large number of them around. This is thanks to the Victorians, who took it upon themselves to build so many surplus churches, that the pews weren’t even being filled in the 1800s. Visit www.cofe.anglican.org for a list of churches currently available.

DESIGN

Though they feature many of the same architectural details, all churches and chapels are unique. Each will present its own individual design problems and not all are suitable for conversion into a home. Contact the local planning authority as soon as possible to discuss your proposals.

In most cases, you will not be able to make major external alterations and even internally you will be restricted, especially if the church is listed, where you need consent to so much as remove existing fixtures and fittings such as crucifixes. You will also have to be a lover of open plan living and double-height spaces. First floors can sometimes be sensitively added. Bear in mind that whatever alterations are agreed, you need to be happy with, as a covenant will be placed on the property to protect it from any future unauthorised alterations and to ensure the Church still retains some say in the property.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Planning Permission: is normally required for a change of use, and listed buildings consent if applicable. You also need to submit your plans to the Uses Committee Secretary. Bear in mind that the local authority may have already agreed on likely permitted uses.

Making an Offer: Contact the Uses Committee Secretary who will make a recommendation to the Church Commissioners. They will remain your main link throughout.

Graveyards: If there is an attached graveyard, the human remains must be removed and interred elsewhere. If your plans won’t disturb any graves, the Home Office can grant an exception. The Bishop will decide what happens to any tombstones and monuments.