Tag: church land

Bishop of London asks about using Church land to build affordable housing

The Bishop of London received the following written answer on 24th April 2021:

The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the report by the Commission of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on Housing, Church and Community Coming Home: Tackling the housing crisis together, published on 21 February, and (2) proposals to use church-owned land to build affordable housing developments; and what plans they have (a) to review existing charity law, (b) to extend the provisions of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, and (c) to amend other relevant legislation, to allow for land to be used for charitable purposes without a requirement for financial gain.

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Church Commissioners Questions: Land

On 12th March 2021, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Church of England: Land

Jim Shannon MP (DUP, Strangford): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the church is taking to encourage (a) regenerative agriculture, (b) more treeplanting and (c) good stewardship of hedgerows across its rural estates.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Land, Religious Freedom, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Remote Education

On 11th March 2021, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, gave the following written answers to questions from an MP:

Church Land

Jim Shannon MP (DUP, Strangford): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the church is taking to provide affordable, sustainable and beautiful housing on land it owns.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Land, Religious Freedom, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Remote Education”

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Owned Land

On 27th January 2021, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Church Commissioners: Land

Kerry McCarthy MP (Lab, Bristol East): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment he has made of the area of Church Commissioner-owned land tenancies, under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, that will come up for renewal in the next (a) five years and (b) 10 years.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Charitable Donations, Church Commissioners Land, Religious Buildings, Planning Permission

On 8th January 2021 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Charitable Donations

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (Con, The Cotswolds): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment the Church of England has made of the potential merits of establishing an app to enable contactless donations to be given via a QR code in the context of the covid-19 outbreak.

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Church Commissioners written answer: landholdings

On 10th December the Second Church Estates Commissioner Andrew Selous MP answered a written question on landholdings from Kerry McCarthy MP:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour, Bristol East): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will place in the Library a digitised map of all Church Commissioner landholdings.

Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Churchyard Biodiversity

Caroline SpelmanOn 10th January 2017 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Mark Hendrick MP about churchyard biodiversity in the Diocese of Blackburn:

Mr Mark Hendrick (Preston) To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, (a) what steps the Diocese of Blackburn has taken to work with Caring for God’s Acre to map flora and fauna on its Estate, (b) which churches in the Diocese of Blackburn have recorded flora and fauna in churchyards, (c) what notable finds of flora and fauna have been recorded and (d) what plans the Diocese of Blackburn has to take part in the Cherishing Churchyards Week from 3 June to 11 June 2017. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Churchyard Biodiversity”

Church Commissioners Written Answer: Disposal of Land

Caroline SpelmanOn 1st November 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Stewart Jackson MP about progress towards disposing of Church land in Peterborough.
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Bishop of Derby takes part in debate on chancel repair liability

Bishop of DerbyOn 15th January 2015, the Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Alastair Redfern, took part in a short debate in the House of Lords, led by Lord Avebury, on what steps the Government are taking to abolish the liability of private householders and others for chancel repairs. The Bishop put on record that the Church is, in principle, in favour of changing the law. However, he cautioned that the loss of title may cause the local parish financial hardships, and that compensation for the financial loss that would occur must be taken into account. The full transcript of the debate is reproduced below.

Chancel Repairs

Asked by Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to abolish the liability of private householders and others for chancel repairs.

Lord Avebury (LD): My Lords, a consensus that reform of the law on chancel repairs is long overdue has emerged from discussions with the church, the Law Commission, the Law Society, the Country Landowners’ Association and the National Secular Society. Since the Chancel Repairs Bill will not make further progress until after the general election, a preliminary debate on the issues is useful now. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby takes part in debate on chancel repair liability”

Second Church Estates Commissioner answers written question on mineral extraction on church land

On 13th May 2013 Sir Tony Baldry answered a written question from Chris Ruane on the topic of mineral extraction rights on church land.14.01 CCQ Baldry Continue reading “Second Church Estates Commissioner answers written question on mineral extraction on church land”