Apply to your Fabric Advisory Committee

The cathedral administrator is responsible for making sure applications are made in the proper way.

We can help you navigate the process from beginning to end.

Download the application forms

Form 3: Application to the FAC (42 KB)
Form 4: Public Notice (49 KB)
Form 5: Determination by the FAC (36.5 KB)
Notice of Completion of Works (20.82 KB)

Close up of three panes of stained glass

Completing the forms

You must use the standard forms to apply.

You will find the instructions for completing the forms in the Care of Cathedrals Rules 2006.

Your checklist for applying to your Fabric Advisory Committee

As cathedral administrator, have you:

Completed and dated the application and public notice?

Fill in and date form 3 and form 4.

Sent the application and supporting documents to your FAC secretary?

Submit form 3 and all supporting documents to your FAC secretary for determination.

Sent the public notice to the Commission?

Submit form 4 with general information about your proposal to the Commission’s secretariat.

We may ask for further information to help us comment. Or we may “call-in” the application to determine it ourselves.

Sent a copy of the public notice to the relevant planning authorities?

Submit a copy of form 4 to your local planning authority, Historic England, and any other relevant national amenity society. They may ask for further information to help them comment, which should be sent electronically.

Important: This is not necessary if your applications relates to an object of interest.

Displayed the public notice inside and outside the cathedral for 28 days?

Display form 4 for 28 days on notice boards accessible to the public inside and outside the cathedral.

Tell people when and where they can find information about the proposals. And let them know how they can make representations to the Fabric Advisory Committee.

Sent the certificate of publication to the FAC secretary?

At the end of the 28-day period, send the certificate of publication to the Fabric Advisory Committee secretary. The certificate is located at the back of form 4.

Commenting on an application

Consultees have 28 days to make written representations on an application to the Fabric Advisory Committee. They should send their comments to the cathedral’s FAC secretary.

Typical consultees on applications include:

Historic England
National amenity societies
Members of the public (by posting of a public notice)
The Commission

The Commission might choose to determine an application rather than the FAC because the proposal gives rise to considerations of such special architectural, archaeological, artistic or historic interest.

This is rare.

If it does, it’s usually because the case would set an important precedent or touch upon an issue of particular sensitivity to which consideration should be given at a national level.

Find out more about permissions

Determination

The Fabric Advisory Committee will determine the application once:

The 28-day consultation period is over
It has received the certificate of publication
And it has considered any representations made by consultees or members of the public

The FAC can decide to:

Approve the application unconditionally
Approve the application subject to conditions
Refuse the application
Refer the application to the Commission for determination
Informally advise chapter to withdraw its proposal and resubmit it in a revised form

Following determination, the FAC secretary has ten days to send a notice of the decision (form 5) to the cathedral administrator, the Commission and the relevant consultees.

A chapter or tenant has the right to appeal a refusal or against any imposed conditions.

Important:

You must display the decision notice inside and outside your cathedral.