Part 5

Contents and effect of pastoral schemes and orders

Churches, churchyards and parsonage houses

Closure of churches for regular public worship
42
1
A pastoral church buildings scheme may make a declaration of closure for regular public worship in respect of—
a
a church which is not required as a parish church or chapel of ease or will cease to be so required as a result of any provision of the scheme; or
b
any part of a church (being a parish church or chapel of ease) which is no longer required for use as a part of the church or will cease to be so required as a result of any provision of the scheme;
and in that case provision may be made in accordance with Part 6, either by the scheme (in the circumstances specified in sections 58 and 59) or by a scheme made under Part 6 for the use, the care and maintenance, the vesting in the diocesan board of finance or the demolition of the church or part of the church to which the declaration relates (in this Measure referred to as the building closed for regular public worship), and also for dealing with a churchyard or other land annexed or belonging to the church.
2
A declaration of closure for regular public worship may be made in respect of a parish church notwithstanding that the parish will have no parish church when the declaration takes effect, and the status of the parish shall not be affected by the lack of a parish church.
3
As from the date when a declaration of closure for regular public worship takes effect in respect of the whole of a church, the church shall be closed for public worship except as may be provided under Part 6.
S. 42 in force at 1.7.2012 by S.I. 2012/1, art. 2