The Faculty System
WHAT IS A FACULTY?
A faculty is a legal document giving permission to do work to a church building or land.
This permission is needed because church buildings are the property of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales not the parish.
Also, many church buildings are listed as being of special architectural or historic interest. Changes to those buildings are controlled by Cadw, on behalf of the National Assembly. However, the National Assembly for Wales gives the church what’s called “the Ecclesiastical Exemption” which means that the church doesn’t also have to go through the secular Listed Building Consent procedure when making alterations to churches. This freedom comes at a price though – we have to comply with a strict set of guidelines set out by government. CADW, the local authorities and the appropriate National Amenity Societies (eg the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) all have a right to be consulted about proposed work.
Unauthorised work on a church which is a Listed Building will be in breach of state legislation as well as the Rules of Diocesan Court.
The faculty system is governed by the Rules of Diocesan Court which are at the end of volume 2 of the Church in Wales Constitution.
In the diocese, the faculty procedure is administered by the Diocesan Advisory Committee.