Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011

59 Other provision by pastoral church buildings scheme for church to be closed for regular public worship

(1) Where a pastoral church buildings scheme makes a declaration of closure of a church for regular public worship in respect of any church or part of a church, not being a case to which section 58 applies, and the Commissioners are satisfied that a suitable use or uses will be available for the building to be closed for regular public worship when the declaration takes effect, the pastoral church buildings scheme may provide for the appropriation of the building to the said use or uses, and may make further provision for any of the matters mentioned in section 63(2) and section 63(5) to (11) shall apply accordingly.

(2) Where a pastoral church buildings scheme makes a declaration of closure for regular public worship in respect of any church or part of a church and the Commissioners are satisfied that no suitable or appropriate alternative use will be available for the building to be closed for regular public worship when the declaration takes effect, then, if it appears to the Commissioners—

(a) after consultation with the Church Buildings Council through its Statutory Advisory Committee that the building is of such historic and archaeological interest or architectural quality that it ought to be preserved in the interests of the nation and the Church of England; and

(b) that the Churches Conservation Trust will have the resources to meet the cost of repairing and maintaining it,

the scheme may provide for its care and maintenance by the Trust.

(3) Where a pastoral church buildings scheme provides for the care and maintenance of a building to be closed for regular public worship or any part thereof by the Trust, the scheme may also provide for the care and maintenance by the Trust of the whole or any part of the land annexed or belonging to the building or the church of which the building is part, and may so provide notwithstanding that the land is or has been used for burials.

(4) Where a pastoral church buildings scheme contains a declaration of closure of a church for regular public worship and the church is neither a listed building nor situated in a conservation area, and the Commissioners are satisfied with the proposals for the future of the building, the scheme may provide for the demolition of the building to be closed for regular public worship and for any of the matters for which section 63(4) makes provision and section 63(5) to (11) shall apply accordingly.