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  • Historic Environment

    Work to Churches

    Topics:
    • Historic environment, 
    • Listed Buildings

    Information about Historic Environment Division and their role providing advice and guidance relating to historic churches.

    Historic Churches

    Many of Northern Ireland’s churches are protected as listed buildings or are on, or near to, sites protected as scheduled historic monuments. This reflects their value as important places within our community. Their sites have often been the focus of community activity for many hundreds or even a thousand years, and their buildings have often been designed to the highest architectural standard. Even relatively modest churches can have great charm or reflect the approach of past generations to worship. It is important that, while adapting these buildings to the needs of today, this special architectural and historic interest is kept in mind when considering changes.

    Before carrying out work therefore, we advise that you find out as much as you can about this interest. Records are available for most areas on the Northern Ireland Buildings Database and information on potential archaeology in the Sites and Monuments Record.

    Maintenance

    All buildings require maintenance and it is the best way to ensure the continued life of your church. It's importance can't be overemphasised as most of the damage that occurs to historic churches can be avoided by small scale regular maintenance. Inevitably, defects start as a small problem and grow in scale if not fixed.

    The Ulster Historic Churches Trust previously developed a good practical way of recording such changes by all involved in caring for a church. Its ‘Church Maintenance & Good Housekeeping Guide’ was sent to every church in Northern Ireland.

    The Ulster Historic Churches Trust charity was removed from the register in May 2024 and its website no longer exists.

    Planning Permission

    As with all other buildings, Churches require planning permission for external development, i.e. extensions and other alterations. If your church is a listed building it does not enjoy permitted development rights to carry out small works without planning permission. If in doubt you should contact the planning department of your local district council.

    Scheduled Monument Consent will be required for alterations to parts of your site which are protected as a scheduled historic monument.

    Listed Building Consent

    Ecclesiastical listed buildings which are ‘for the time being used for ecclesiastical purposes or would be so used but for the works’ (Section 85(8) of the Planning Act (NI) 2011) do not have to apply for listed building consent for changes that might alter their architectural or historic character. If no longer used as churches, this ‘ecclesiastical exemption’ does not apply. Most church denominations operate their own internal system of review in regard to changes and you should contact them for further information.

    In March 2016 the Department of the Environment issued a public consultation on a proposal to remove the exemption. 122 responses were received and a detailed Consultation on ecclesiastical exemption on the way forward were published by the Department for Communities on 29 September.

    This has concluded that:
    'For larger organisations, the Department for Communities (DfC) will put in place partnering arrangements, governed by a Memorandum of Understanding or similar, which will enable structured engagement with governing bodies at a Northern Ireland level. This engagement will review developing best practice and agree appropriate changes to relevant guidance and processes.

    For smaller organisations and individual self-governing places of worship, the Department will provide appropriate guidance on changes to places of worship which enhances the advice already available.'

    Contact

    DfC's Historic Environment Division is responsible for supplying advice to owners on how best to look after their historic buildings. We are also happy to visit a building and offer on-site advice, and this can be arranged by contacting your Area Senior Conservation Architect. If you are unsure, you can contact us;

    • DfC Historic Environment contacts

    Related content

    • Buildings Database
    • Climate change risk assessment for historic building owners
    • Domestic chimneys and flues
    • Flooding advice for Listed Building owners
    • Glossary of conservation terms
    • Heritage and Climate Change
    • Heritage at Risk
    • Historic Buildings Council
    • Historic Buildings of Local Importance
    • Historic Buildings Surveys
    • Historic Environment Division - Who we are and the difference we make
    • Historic Environment Projects
    • Historic Telephone Kiosks
    • Listed buildings
    • Listed Buildings - Repair and Maintenance
    • Listed Buildings and Fire
    • Maintenance Checklist: Bituminous Sheet Flat Roofs
    • Monuments advice and guidance
    • Nominating a Building for Listing in Northern Ireland
    • Photographing historic buildings - notes for surveyors
    • Repair and Maintenance Guidance
    • Skills Development
    • The Curtilage of Listed Buildings in Northern Ireland
    • The Listing Process for historic buildings
    • Traditional or Vernacular buildings
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