Written evidence submitted by Christ Church Lancaster
The Committee is inviting written submissions in response to the following questions:
- We don’t have the funds needed to replace a roof, install insulation and energy efficient heating, and do the repairs/restoration needed on a Grade 2 listed building. This is because we serve a poorer community, and have not been blessed with endowments. The building is used by 800+ people each week, but most grants won’t consider church buildings. We fear that we will have to let the building decline to almost-derelict before we would be eligible for funding - but know that this would come at great cost to the community, it’s pastoral care and ability to grow in future. We want to focus on caring for our local community, but the building is a millstone, even though it has the potential to be a blessing.
- We don’t have the expertise in our small community to do the large scale grant applications, funding bids and fundraising needed for such a project - yet the volume of repair work remains.
- We are struggling to decarbonise our building (yet estimates have shown that, could we afford the initial outlay, our roof would generate sufficient electricity for most of the local housing estate).
What interventions are needed to prevent the managed decline of heritage assets on publicly-owned land?
- Perhaps not only a Heritage-At-Risk register of the most serious cases, but also a list of heritage that is about to deteriorate so that work can be done to prevent, not cure damage.
What can the Government do to make it easier for communities or local businesses to take ownership of historic buildings?
- I can’t comment on this.
2. How effective are the current funding and finance models for built heritage?
- For small communities looking after churches of significant heritage, it is rare to have an individual with the expertise and time to be able to complete large funding bids. Many grant funders won’t consider churches, and it can be hard to line up the ducks when a collection of bids is required to complete a project.
- If there are several churches in an area all needing to do major repair work to heritage buildings, there can result in a competition for Heritage Lottery funding, when all are in equal need.
- Some community groups are reluctant to apply for Lottery funding for moral reasons - yet this is often the only pot available.
- The volume of paperwork, administration, monitoring and evidencing is beyond the capability of many community groups where these are not natural skillsets.
What should long-term public funding for the sector look like?
- Be creative about energy generation - start-up grants for those who’re able to have a solar array which would benefit the local community.
- Think less of these buildings as charity cases which get the scrapings of the barrel, and more as community assets worth investing in!
3. What role does built heritage play in the regeneration of local areas and in contributing to economic growth and community identity?
- A parish church is intertwined with community identity, a place of celebration and community life, a place where big life events take place, a visible sign on the skyline that this is my place.
- Telling the story of an area (for us, as the chapel for the workhouse, expanded to accommodate the Lancaster barracks, later a parish church serving the millworkers, and more recently a growing community due to swathes of new build).
How can heritage buildings be supported to increase energy efficiency and contribute to the Government’s net zero targets?
- More grants available to insulate and adapt buildings (current funds don’t scratch the surface!)
- A more joined up approach to local generation, eg investing in buildings to provide the initial outlay to buy solar, and taking a cut of the generation profits to pay off the loan
- More expertise needed on how these buildings function differently to a centrally heated house!
- Grants which are willing to fund roof repairs - as a damp building will never be energy efficient.
4. What are the financial, regulatory and practical barriers to preserving built heritage?
- Grants for decarbonisation works don’t scratch the surface of work needed on one building.
- Practical - not enough skillset or finance in the North West.
- Sheer volume of interlocking issues with a building, for example we need to sort our roof and chimney out before we can begin to think about historic wall stencilling which are sloughing off the walls.
- Grant funders often won’t fund preliminary exploratory and survey work, instead preferring the finished article, yet one isn’t possible without the other!
What policy changes are needed to make restoring historic buildings easier and less expensive?
- I can’t comment on this.
5. What policies would ensure the UK workforce has the right skills to maintain our heritage assets?
- Focus on correct repair and maintenance of Victorian constructions - a different skill set to medieval!
- Availability of those with skills to restore/repair wall stencilling and stained glass.
- Focus on heritage in the North West.
- Help to upskill communities to apply for and navigate the grants system.
Rev’d Carol Backhouse, Christ Church Lancaster.