ABSTRACT
Historically, cathedrals have fallen outside the faculty jurisdiction of the consistory court of the diocese: a faculty is a permissive right to effect an alteration to a church building or its contents; instead, authority was vested in the dean and chapter. However, the Care of Cathedrals Measure 1990 established a national body, the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England; it required the appointment of a local Fabric Advisory Committee for each cathedral; and it instituted a system of controls over the cathedral and ancillary buildings. National law distinguishes those works which must be approved by the national Cathedrals Fabric Commission and those to be approved by the local Fabric Advisory Committee. An application by Chapter for approval by the Fabric Advisory Committee must be in writing and accompanied by such detailed plans, drawings, specifications and other documents as describe the proposal or may be requested by the Committee.
