The Department of Energy & Climate Change consulted on these proposals and the IHBC Consultation Panel found that many churches rely on external funding support to operate sustainably and an important challenge is reconciling community aspirations and needs with the development of a sustainable business model.
The Panel’s main findings include:
- local land and property economic factors and overall economic viability are key factors in deciding whether or not a church building is a financially sustainable community resource
- key factors that might prevent a local community from feeling a sense of ownership for their local church include a lack of community and stakeholder engagement and communication, and the perception that some religious bodies fail to support equality and inclusivity
- in some areas, a sustainable market-based business plan may be viable and, depending on economic and factors such as location and infrastructure, some degree of financial support may be necessary for the capital phase of some projects
- although it depends on the nature of the project and the location, support may include access to professional advice, business planning, feasibility appraisals, etc
- it is important to recognise different levels of community and stakeholder involvement, from community engagement and consultation to direct community leadership or partnerships
- the circumstances of religious buildings are likely to be unique in each case and it is important to make decisions against the context of local circumstances and not to impose a ‘one size fits’ all solution.
View the full IHBC response
