Faculty supporting documents

The following guidance relates to the supporting documents required to be submitted as part of a valid faculty application, at the informal (pre-application) and formal (statutory) advice stages, via the Online Faculty System (OFS).

• Before submitting a faculty application, please see the diocesan guidance on the faculty application process

Informal advice

When first submitted via the OFS, a faculty application will receive the informal (pre-application) advice of the Lichfield Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC). An informal application gives parishes the opportunity to receive feedback and guidance from the DAC on a proposal. Informal advice can also be offered before undertaking a DAC site visit, to best inform the visit.

• It is recommended that parishes consult their quinquennial inspector, as professional adviser to the PCC, or another suitably able professional, on the matter of commissioning and producing a plan showing the location of the proposed works, as well as sketches of the proposed designs (as below, where applicable)

Please provide the following supporting documents:

1. Illustrative photographs, showing both the general setting and specific details (e.g. church interior and existing fittings)
2. A plan or marked-up photographs showing the location of the proposed works, including (where relevant):
   • wiring routes to be created
   • areas to be redecorated
   • where items are to be introduced or removed
3. Sketches of the proposed designs
4. An options appraisal, for major schemes only (e.g. reorderings and extensions) (if available)
5. Any advice or other material relating to the environmental implications of the proposal including, in the case of matters to which guidance on net zero carbon issued by the Church of England's Church Buildings Council (CBC) applies (e.g. heating, lighting), an explanation of how the applicants, in formulating the proposal, have had 'due regard' to that guidance
6. A copy of a minute of the PCC or Standing Committee in support of the proposal

When uploading information, please name each file by subject and give a description of its contents on the OFS for each file you are attaching. You can either upload all of the information in one session or you can add your information in separate sessions. Documents should be uploaded to the 'Supporting documents and images' tab within the application.

Statements of Significance and Needs

For applications relating to listed church buildings, Statements of Significance and Needs are also usually required. These can be submitted as supporting documents (templates are otherwise built into the OFS as forms).

It is recommended that you consult the Church of England guidance on Statements of Significance and Needs.

Formal advice

When further developed via the OFS, the faculty application will receive the formal (statutory) advice of external bodies (e.g. Historic England and the National Amenity Societies), where applicable, and that of the DAC.

As part of the online application process, you will need to provide full technical details of your proposal. These details are very important and you will need to upload a variety of supporting documents. Without them your application will not be valid and is likely to be delayed in being processed.

• It is recommended that parishes consult their quinquennial inspector, as professional adviser to the PCC, or another suitably able professional, on the matter of commissioning and producing technical drawings and plans, as well as the associated specification (as below, where applicable)

Please provide the following supporting documents:

1. Illustrative photographs, showing both the general setting and specific details (e.g. church interior and existing fittings)
2. Technical drawings and plans (in accordance with the guidance below)
3. A specification, containing full details of the materials and finishes proposed to be used, and the working methods to be adopted
4. An up-to-date copy of a quotation from the chosen contractor/s
5. Any advice or other material relating to the environmental implications of the proposal including, in the case of matters to which guidance on net zero carbon issued by the Church of England's Church Buildings Council (CBC) applies (e.g. heating, lighting), an explanation of how the applicants, in formulating the proposal, have had 'due regard' to that guidance
6. A copy of a resolution of the PCC (signed by the Chair or Secretary) in support of the proposal

When uploading information, please name each file by subject and give a description of its contents on the OFS for each file you are attaching. You can either upload all of the information in one session or you can add your information in separate sessions. Documents should be uploaded to the 'Supporting documents and images' tab within the application.

Please note that the above list of supporting documents is the minimum required and the DAC Secretary may be in contact to request further information in support of your application.

Technical drawings and plans

Plans should be drawn to a scale of 1/100 or, in the case of large buildings, 1/200, and should show the existing arrangement and the proposed (i.e. two sets are required). They should also show the location of the proposed works, including (where appropriate) wiring routes, details of areas to be redecorated, and the location into which items are to be introduced or from where they are to be removed.

It is helpful to have not just a 'bird's eye view', i.e. a floor plan, but also an elevation, i.e. a view of the vertical as if you were standing in front of it. A section is a cut-through view, which is required for showing how a feature is constructed. The following should accordingly be supplied (as applicable) as supporting documents:

• Floor plans: a plan for each floor and, where appropriate, a roof plan also, clearly distinguishing between existing and proposed work in the case of alterations or extensions
• Elevations: showing any alterations/repairs to the existing building, or all elevations of new buildings/extensions
• Sections: the views through the building/feature showing, for example, where entrances are proposed on sloping sites, the level of the ground in relation to the level of the building, or the thickness and profile of a proposed moulding

User manuals

The OFS has a frequently asked questions section and a number of user manuals, which can be consulted at any time.

Key user manuals, with step-by-step instructions, include:

• Uploading supporting documents and images
• Guide to architectural drawings and plans
• Guide to scanning documents and photographs

Getting help...

If you are in any doubt as to exactly what faculty supporting documents to provide, please contact:

Giles Standing, DAC Secretary
01543 221152 giles.standing@lichfield.anglican.org