Places of Worship

1 Sustainable Futures for Places of Worship - Continuity, Adaptation, and Reuse

Religious bodies in Scotland are currently undertaking a review of their estate. Many historic and listed buildings are being considered for sale over the next few years. 

Some of these places of worship will continue in use for worship by new denominations or religions. Others will come into community care and continue as hubs for their surroundings. For many, redevelopment into new uses is the more sustainable option in the long term. The planning system is in place to protect the special character of buildings such as these. 

Continuity and Reuse

Places of worship have occupied an important position in Scotland’s landscapes and communities for centuries. These buildings are significant for the role they play in religious worship. They are also significant as a:

• Physical presence and landmark
• Valuable community space
• Repository for traditional art, crafts, and music
• Hub for memorials and local social history 

Scotland’s religious buildings have generally been able to adapt to cultural changes and changing styles of worship. However, many churches are now poised at a tipping point. 

Finding new, sustainable and long term uses for a building is the best way to ensure their future survival. In some cases this will result in impacts to the buildings special character and public access. Change in use can also broaden access or enhance understanding and visibility of a building.

Keeping a building in use is often the most sustainable option. The use and reuse of buildings retains the energy expended in the original construction and sourcing of materials. This is an important part of our journey towards net zero. 

How We Can Help

We provide advice and support to: 

• Religious bodies to encourage a strategic and considerate approach to disposals
• Communities seeking to maintain or acquire their place of worship
• Organisations who provide advice and support to places of worship
• Decision makers in the planning system   

In this section information is provided on how we and other organisations can help current and former places of worship. 

• Section 2 explains our role in the systems which protect these buildings
• Section 3 details what support we offer in the form of funding and advice to communities
• Section 4 showcases our advice and guidance for owners of historic places of worship
• Section 5 highlights 12 important things to consider if buying a church for development or change of use
• Section 6 points towards useful guidance and case studies which showcase sustainable new uses for closed places of worship

2 Protection for Historic Places of Worship

We expect a large number of places of worship to close over the coming years. We are not involved in decisions religious bodies make about the disposal of buildings. However, we do have a role to play in giving advice and support for these important places as they find new sustainable futures. 

Listed Buildings and Our Role in The Planning System

There are mechanisms in place within the planning system to protect the special character of buildings. Many places of worship are protected through listing. Changes to listed buildings are managed by the listed building consent process. This is a legal process which ensures that changes to listed buildings are sympathetic to their character. Local authorities are the primary contact and decision makers in matters of listed building consent. 

We provide advice as part of our role in this system. Our advice seeks to ensure any changes are sympathetic to the building’s special historic and architectural interest while keeping it in use. Remaining in use is one of the best ways to protect a building, and we support new uses and adaptations to achieve this outcome.

What is included in a Listing?

The interior of a historic building often makes an essential contribution to its character and special interest. If a historic building has the protection of statutory listing then this includes the interior and internal fixtures. The local authority is best placed to provide advice on the extent of a listing. This includes what they consider as a fixture or a fitting, or if buildings or features on the grounds are included in the listing. 

Local authorities are the primary decision maker for changes to listed buildings. They decide whether proposals to remove or alter internal or external features need consent. Listing won’t necessarily prevent the buildings closure or change of use. Many listed places of worship have changed in use over the decades.

Unlisted Buildings and the Planning System

Even for unlisted buildings, the historic environment is a consideration in all decision making. Most of the historic environment isn’t designated. Yet is still covered by the principles protecting the historic environment in the National Planning Framework (NPF4). 

The Historic Environment Policy for Scotland supports good decision making for Scotland’s heritage. It states that decisions affecting the historic environment should be informed by an inclusive understanding of its cultural significance. Our guidance Talking About Heritage can help you to understand and share concepts like cultural significance of a building. This may be useful to have when discussing the future of a local building with your community or local authority.

Useful Contacts

Learn more about our advice on planning and consents relating to listed buildings, scheduled monuments or conservation areas. Visit the Applying for Consents section of our website. Contact the Planning, Consents and Advice Service by telephone on 0131 668 8716 or email at hmenquiries@hes.scot.

Find out more about our role in the planning system in Our Regulatory Framework. Read more about our approach to change in Listed Buildings in the Use and Adaptation of Listed Buildings. 

Learn more about the effects of listing on owners, view the records of a listed building, or get more information about the listing process on the Listed Buildings section of our website. Contact the Designations Service by telephone 0131 668 8914 or email designations@hes.scot.

3 Community Action – Funding and Advice

Funding

Beyond our role to support good decision making for the historic environment, we provide advice and funding to places of worship. This is through our grant programs. We give hundreds of thousands of pounds in grants to places of worship for projects which include:

• Maintenance and management plans
• Interpretation
• Archaeological excavations and research
• Climate and accessibility adaptations
• Interim works
• Skills and Training
• Outreach and Learning
• And more!

Learn more about Historic Environment Scotland’s Grants service including different grant programs, priorities, and how we make decisions. Contact the Grants Service by email at grants@hes.scot.

Advice and Support

We also have a team who provide advice and support for community groups seeking to take a historic building into their care. This can include support in thinking about the significance of historic places or creative solutions for reuse. We also signpost to funding streams and make connections between groups who might be able to support each other.

Useful Contacts

To learn more about community focused ownership and initiatives for heritage, contact the Development and Community Service by email at developmentandcommunity@hes.scot.

There are many other organisations which provide advice, funding, and support for continuing and former places of worship. This sector map from the Heritage Trust Network is a very useful resource for navigating this sector and seeking advice and support. Read more about the routes for communities to take on places of worship in Your Church Your Community. 

4 Guidance and Advice for Historic Places of Worship

Change and adaptation is an important part of seeing our buildings survive into the future. Keeping our historic buildings in use ensures they continue to benefit those who live near, use and visit them. Some places of worship will need changes to keep them in use for worship. Others will come out of religious use and new uses can be considered.

We discussed our regulatory role in this system on the Protection of Historic Places of Worship page. We also offer guidance for maintaining and managing changes to historic buildings. This guidance is available for anyone who wants to learn how good decisions can protect historic buildings.    

Guidance on Managing Change

Making changes to a building can be an important part of keeping it in long-term sustainable use. It is important to be informed at an early stage about the systems in place to regulate these changes. Seventy-five percent of places of worship facing closure are listed, and more are in conservation areas. Places of worship are likely to have important features which need to be carefully considered when making alterations to the building. 

Managing Change guidance notes support good decision making in the historic environment. They set out the key things to consider when changes are proposed. This includes the processes for permissions and consents. The guidance notes can also be relevant to the development of plans and strategies for future work, and for decisions around funding. 

Ecclesiastical Exemption 

Listed buildings whose primary use is as a place of worship will normally have exemption from the need for listed building consent. The guidance on Ecclesiastical Exemption answers many frequently asked questions on this subject. 

Ecclesiastical exemption is considered to end when the final closing service is held, or when no more services are scheduled. Local authorities administer listed building consents and are responsible for deciding whether consent is required. Reach out to your local planning department if you have any questions about ecclesiastical exception.

Maintenance and Conservation Advice

We operate The Engine Shed, Scotland’s dedicated building conservation centre. The Engine Shed offers training and guidance on the technical aspects of looking after historic buildings. The Engine Shed also has a wealth of case studies that showcase best practice in maintenance and adaptations. This includes several technical case studies which feature historic places of worship.

Useful Contacts  

The Engine Shed has a page for technical advice on maintaining and improving traditional buildings, including many structural elements seen in traditional places of worship. The technical advice and education team can be reached by email at technicaleducation@hes.scot.  

5 12 Things to Know Before Buying a Church

Churches are special and unique buildings and often hold a prominent place in a community as well as their local environment. They have a special character which will need to be considered when making changes to them. However, there are many ways to keep these buildings in use and ensure that you have a viable project. When thinking about taking on one of these amazing spaces, consider the following:

1. Are there services such as water, gas, electricity and drainage to the church? If not, are there planning issues to putting them in? Potential issues could include graves or burial grounds, scheduled monuments, or listed walls. This may mean the services need to take a different route into the building or use a creative non-invasive solution.
2. Consider access to the building and its surroundings, both your access and others.
   
   • Do you need to agree legal access over land that you do not own?
   • What is access to the church like in terms of paths, pavements, steps or parking?
   • Is it situated in a burial ground which may be used for new burials, or public access to memorials and monuments?
   • Is there vehicular access to the building?
3. These buildings can be challenging to heat, so consider potential adaptations in order to improve efficiency. Note the EPC rating of the building, and bear in mind that some adaptations suitable for other buildings may not be suitable for these ones.
4. How adaptable is the building and space for your needs? Conversions can be complex and may require an architect or design professional to assist in drawing up a proposal. For example, many church windows were not meant to be seen out of and can be drafty. Large windows with their sill above head height may need careful adaptation for domestic dwellings.
5. Have you checked what is for sale carefully? The surrounding land may not be included, even if it looks like it’s a distinct ‘plot’. Many churches are surrounded by land which may be owned by separate entities. In Scotland most burial grounds surrounding churches are owned by local authorities. Be sure to be clear on what (if any) of the surrounding land is included within the title of the church. You can use Scotland's Land Information Service to find out more.
6. Some older churches, or churches built on older sites, might have burials under the church floor.
   
   • If burials are discovered on a development site, it’s the developer’s responsibility to inform the police. The cost of handling ancient burials on development sites usually falls upon the developer. This work would be supervised by the planning authority.
   • If these are known about, the new owners will become a burial authority even if there are no further plans to carry out burials. Check if these burials come with a right of access or encumbrance. In Scots law, an encumbrance is a right that burdens land, and that right is held by someone who is not the owner of the land.
7. Consider the regular and long-term maintenance of decorative or monumental features. This can include stained-glass windows, a belfry, bells, memorials, towers, or steeples. These can be complex architectural features which need specialist advice to maintain or repair.
8. What designations cover the building and its surroundings?
   
   • Many historic buildings are designated, either as a listed building, a scheduled monument, or an area designation such as a Garden and Designed Landscape or Conservation Area.
   • More than one designation may affect a building.
   • If a building is designated then changes to the building and other historic fabric in its curtilage may need a special type of consent.
   • You can check trove.scot to see if a particular place is designated.
9. If the building is listed then that process is called listed building consent. Decisions around listed building consent are taken by the local authority. In many cases you will need to apply for change of use of the building if you plan to adapt it.
10. You may need to check for nature designations for protected species. For example, bats living inside the building, or trees in the curtilage protected by a tree preservation order.
11. Ecclesiastical Exception applies to buildings in use as places of worship. This excludes them from the usual need to obtain listed building consent to carry out works. It does not apply to a former place of worship. Once it ceases to be used as a place of worship, listed building consent should be sought for alterations to the building.
12. Will you need to secure planning permission to change the use of the building? Converting a former place of worship into residential accommodation or business will be considered a change in use. Consider speaking to the local authority Planning and Building Standards team to learn more about this process and how long it will take. 

There are a number of organisations and resources that can help potential new owners - the Places of Worship Forum (POWF) is a good place to start. POWF brings together organisations committed to supporting places of worship in transition, across Scotland. Find out more about them and how they engage with communities, assist in the transition process, and provide valuable resources on the BEFS website.

6 Case Studies

HES Supported Case Studies

We have an online exhibition which showcases former churches which have been adapted to new lives. From new religious uses to pubs, venues, workshops, and more. New Life and Changing Spaces Online Exhibition.

Our blog features a more extensive list of successful adaptations of former churches. Learn more about what is possible when you work with the historic environment. How to Recycle a Church.

This blog from HES focuses on the journey taken by a rural community group in the west of Scotland and the process of buying their local church for community use. How to take a Kirk into Community Ownership

External Case Studies and Resources 

Paisley Abbey hosted an important conference in 2024 with 300 attendees from across the sector. The conference focused on finding sustainable futures for Scottish churches, whether they are continuing in religious use or transitioning to new uses. Talks included finding funding and fundraising, attracting tourism, and making adaptations to historic buildings. Recordings of the Finding Sustainable Futures for Scottish Churches talks are hosted on YouTube. 

The Heritage Trust network hosts a series of videos and recorded talks from successful community owned places of worship. These make excellent case studies for anyone wishing to explore options for their local church. Heritage Trust Network Video Case Studies.

The need for finding new uses for former places of worship is not just a Scottish issue. Many countries are looking for similar solutions. Historic England have a detailed web hub featuring useful case studies and discussions. These include discussions on appropriate uses, commercial use cases, and case studies of community ownership. Historic England’s New Uses for Places of Worship.