Frontier has evaluated the impact of a major pilot initiative testing support for the sustainability of listed places of worship in England.

The Taylor Review Pilot was funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and run by Historic England from September 2018 to March 2020. The aim of the pilot was to test some of the recommendations of the 2017 Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals; and to provide free support and advice for listed places of worship of all faiths and denominations in the two selected pilot areas of Greater Manchester (a predominantly urban area) and Suffolk (a predominantly rural area).

Our evaluation report, published by DCMS, shows the evidence from the pilot on what works and under what conditions for each aspect of the pilot: a Minor Repairs Fund, Fabric Support Officers, Community Development Advisers and workshops on maintenance and community engagement approaches. Our analysis shows the pilot helped to support key areas of maintenance and minor repairs for listed places of worship, such as roofs and rainwater goods, which can otherwise lead to further fabric deterioration if not addressed promptly.

The evidence from our evaluation demonstrates the potential effectiveness of the main findings of the Taylor Review as tested in the pilot and suggests merit in further considering how the elements of the pilot can be taken forward. Our findings will inform future policy decision-making about the potential to scale up or roll out any, or all, elements of the pilot and the relevant elements of the Taylor Review.

You can download the report by clicking the link here.

For more information, please contact media@frontier-economics.com or call +44 (0) 20 7031 7000.