The Church of England is introducing the Building Management Portal, which will replace the Online Faculty System from October 2026
The Building Management Portal is a new system for applications relating to works on churches, their contents, and churchyards, with a planned release date of 6 October 2026.
The existing faculty, List A, and List B processes are not changing, but the new portal will provide a clearer digital route for preparing, submitting, reviewing, and managing applications.
This page offers guidance and training for using the new system, alongside FAQ's and links to further, national resources.
When change is happening
The Building Management Portal has a planned release date of 6 October 2026.
Parishes should also note that from 5pm on Monday 28 September, the Online Faculty System will move to read only access. (This is a change to the previously announced date by the National Church of Tuesday 29 September).
From that point, users will still be able to sign in, view cases, and refer to existing information, but they will not be able to create, edit, submit or progress applications.
How the portal can be accessed
Users will access the Building Management Portal through the CofE Portal, which includes two-factor authentication.
Some users may also need to complete a one-time registration process so that the correct church, diocese, and role access can be assigned.
The new portal will be available at the link below. Please note that it will only be accessible following its release on 6 October 2026.
Training and video guidance
Video guidance is available to help users understand key parts of the Building Management Portal.
- Building Management Portal – Introduction
- Registration and account management
- List A works
- List B works
- Starting a faculty
- Form 1
- Petition part 1
- Statements
- Formal consultation
- Add more churches to profile
Frequently asked questions
What is the Building Management Portal?
The Building Management Portal is the Church of England’s national digital system for managing applications relating to works on churches, their contents, and churchyards.
Is the legal process changing?
No. The faculty, List A, and List B processes remain in place. The Building Management Portal provides a new digital route for managing those processes.
What is happening to the Online Faculty System?
The Building Management Portal is replacing the Online Faculty System. Existing and historic case information will be migrated into the new portal.
Will I need a new login?
Users will access the Building Management Portal through the CofE Portal. If you do not already have a CofE Portal account, you may need to create one.
Does two-factor authentication apply?
Yes. CofE Portal access includes two-factor authentication. This helps protect user accounts, case records, and personal data.
Will I need to register for Building Management Portal?
Some users will need to complete a one-time registration process. This helps the system link the user to the correct role, church, and diocese.
What if I cannot see my church?
This may mean your account has not yet been linked to the correct role, church, or diocese, or that your access is still awaiting approval. Contact the DAC team with your email address, church, expected role, and details of what you can or cannot see. Email: DAC@rochester.anglican.org
What if I can see too many churches?
This may mean your role has been assigned too broadly. Contact the DAC team and explain which churches you can see and which church or churches you expected to access. Email:DAC@rochester.anglican.org
Will existing cases be moved across?
Existing and historic cases from the Online Faculty System will be migrated into the Building Management Portal.
Do all users need to be in Contact Management System (CMS)?
No. If your details are not on the CMS (for example architects or other members of a parish fabric team), the DAC team can approve your registration manually.
What if CMS data is not ready?
The Building Management Portal can operate with manual access management where CMS integration is not ready or not appropriate. CMS integration should only be used where local role and place data is reliable enough to support access.
Who should users contact for help?
Most parish users should contact the DAC team in the first instance. Please provide your name, email address, role, diocese, church, case reference if relevant, what you expected to happen, what actually happened, and screenshots where useful. Email:DAC@rochester.anglican.org
Key Contacts
DAC Team |
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