In case of works proposed to listed churches, Statements of Significance and of Need are likely to be required, and these should be submitted to the DAC with the initial application for a faculty. Guidance on these Statements is available at Churchcare – Statements of Significance and Need. Briefly, the required Statements are:
- A Statement of Significance is defined as a document which summarises the historical development of the church and identifies the important features that make major contributions to the character of the church.
- A detailed Statement of Need is defined as a document which sets out the reasons why it is considered that the needs of the users of the building cannot be met without making changes to the building.
If major building works are proposed either internally or externally please consult the DAC Secretary when your ideas are in the formative stages by means of an informal enquiry. This is actively encouraged by the DAC. In appropriate cases a meeting of the interested parties can be arranged on site and views exchanged. It will be helpful in such cases if at least draft copies of the Statement of Need and Statement of Significance can be prepared and circulated beforehand together with an indication of how the needs might be met.
