Peal for England!

Wednesday 24 January 2018

Church bells are to win protection under new planning rules to stop people who move into towns and villages forcing councils to silence them.

Churches have repeatedly had to comply with noise abatement orders to silence church bells after complaints from often only a handful of homeowners despite the fact that they have tolled for decades. However, ministers have now decided that churches should not have “unreasonable restrictions put on them because of changes in nearby land uses since they were established” because new homes are built near them. The Church Buildings Council – the body which helps dioceses maintain church buildings - supports the continued use of church buildings as places of worship, including proclaiming their presence through the ringing of bells.