In R (Local Faith Ltd) v Registrar General for England & Wales [2025] EWHC 1795 (Admin), the applicant sought leave to judicially review of decision not to register a property in Basildon as a religious building under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855 [1]. The property was owned by Basildon Estates Ltd, which leased it to another company, Room for Faith Ltd, which in turn sublet it to Local Faith Ltd [2].

Local Faith Ltd acquired the sublease with the initial intention of making the building available to be used for religious meetings and acts of worship and sought to register it on the basis that it would be used for worship by a congregation of Sunni Muslims [3]. That did not proceed, however, and it then applied to register the building on the basis that it would make it available to any religious group wishing to use it and would not normally levy a charge for doing so [4]. Continue reading →