An ecclesiastical building specialist is an architect or surveyor who has built specialist expertise in the unique regulatory and technical challenges of church buildings. The Church of England's faculty jurisdiction - its internal planning and consent system - operates separately from the listed building consent regime and requires practitioners approved by the diocesan registry. Ecclesiastical building specialists are qualified to carry out the mandatory quinquennial inspection, prepare faculty applications, specify appropriate conservation repairs and guide church communities through heritage grant applications and accessibility improvements.
What they do
- Carry out mandatory quinquennial inspections of Church of England churches
- Prepare faculty applications for works to churches and their contents
- Advise on the Church of England's List A and List B de minimis works
- Specify appropriate conservation repairs for church fabric
- Design church extensions and accessibility improvements
- Support heritage grant applications (HLF, Historic England, diocesan funds)
- Advise on church heating, lighting and audiovisual upgrades
- Guide churches through redundancy and conversion processes
When you need one
A church or its parochial church council will need an ecclesiastical building specialist in a wide range of circumstances.
Typical costs (UK, 2025)
| Service | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Quinquennial inspection and report | £800 - £2,000 |
| Faculty application preparation | £1,000 - £4,000 |
| Heritage grant application (HLF or diocesan) | £1,500 - £5,000 |
| Accessibility scheme design | £1,500 - £5,000 |
| Heating system specification | £800 - £2,500 |
| Hourly rate | £80 - £140 / hr |
Church projects often involve complex multi-consent situations (faculty, LBC and potentially planning permission) and long consultation timescales with DACs and Historic England. Budget for the full process, not just the final works.
Qualifications to look for
Ecclesiastical building specialists must be approved by the relevant diocese to carry out quinquennial inspections. Contact your diocesan registry for the approved list for your area. Practitioners typically hold ARB/RIBA, MRICS or IHBC membership alongside ecclesiastical approval.
EASA membership indicates specialist experience in ecclesiastical buildings. EASA also runs continuing professional development for church building specialists. Check membership at easa.org.uk.
Frequently asked questions
What is faculty jurisdiction?
Faculty jurisdiction is the Church of England's system for controlling works to its churches and their contents - equivalent to listed building consent. Most significant works to a church require a faculty (permission) from the diocesan chancellor, obtained through the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC).
What is a quinquennial inspection?
A quinquennial inspection is a mandatory five-yearly inspection of a Church of England church by an approved architect or surveyor. It produces a condition report and list of recommended works which forms the basis of the church's maintenance and repair programme.
Are all churches listed buildings?
No - many pre-1960 churches are listed but not all. However, all Church of England churches are subject to faculty jurisdiction regardless of listing. Listed church buildings also need listed building consent from the local planning authority for some works in addition to a faculty.