Presbytery of the South West

A Presbytery of the Church of Scotland covering the south-west area of the country. The presbytery incorporates over 100 congregations, their ministries and buildings.

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Room 1008, Airline Corridor
Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Prestiwck, KA9 2PL.
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01292 431636

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Property Information


Useful Property Information from our Presbytery Building Officer

Presbytery Building Officers

The General Trustees have appointed Presbytery Building Officers to assist Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries with their duties. ( PBO role and Five-Yearly Surveys )

The Presbytery Buildings Officer works closely alongside Kirk Sessions and congregations, providing advice and guidance on property matters, including repairs, maintenance, and development. The role involves assessing, recording and monitoring the condition of all ecclesiastical buildings within the bounds of each presbytery and helping congregations plan and prioritise fabric repairs and improvements. The Presbytery Building Officer is responsible for the production of survey reports every five years, which are an important tool which can be used to ensure that buildings are maintained in good condition. Further information on the role of the Building Officers and 5-yearly survey reports can be found in this guidance.


Esmé Greenan – Presbytery Building Officer for Presbytery of The South West

t: 0131 240 2229 | e: egreenan@churchofscotland.org.uk

Esmé’s architectural education since 2015 has always had an undercurrent of interest in historic buildings and their conservation. Both Part 1 and Part 2 placements were undertaken in conservation-specialist practices in England. Under the tutelage of a Chartered surveyor and AABC Architect, Esmé has honed her skills in the development of drawing and document packages for the repair and development of both listed and unlisted ecclesiastical buildings. Since qualifying as an architect in 2023 and finding employment as the Southwest Presbytery Building Officer in 2024, Esmé is eager to carve a name for herself within the ecclesiastical field, despite still being so early in her career. Her love for church buildings from every denomination, and her drive towards helping both the buildings and those who care for them, means that she is filled with enthusiasm for the field. Ensuring that Kirk Sessions fully understand the work being recommended for their church can be challenging, but one which she greatly enjoys. Helping religious spaces develop and grow into more flexible centres for both their congregation and wider community is incredibly satisfying and better safeguards the building for the future.

SPAB ‘Faith in Maintenance’ Calendar: The Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) have produced a ‘Faith in Maintenance’ calendar. (https://www.spab.org.uk/sites/default/files/SPAB-FiM-maintenance-calendar.pdf) The ‘Faith in Maintenance’ project has helped volunteers who care for historic places of worship to understand their buildings better and to carry out basic preventative maintenance. It outlines a year’s schedule of maintenance and checks, which sessions would be wise to implement, if they haven’t already. This should be applied to churches, halls and manses where appropriate, and is intended to be something that rumbles along in the background to everything emergent, planned, or included in their quinquennial inspection reports. Regular maintenance will prevent minor issues from becoming larger ones if addressed early and well. This applies to all property: whether open, closed, or on the market.



Quinquennial Inspections (QIs): These are five-yearly surveys and reports which are carried out by the PBO, which acts as the “suitably experienced and qualified professional” responsible for undertaking the report. QIs catalogue the current condition of a building, and create a maintenance plan for the next five years. This is intended to act as a proactive document for the session, to use as a reference when working with professionals and contractors to ensure that recommended repairs are carried out effectively (https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/get-involved/serve/office-bearers/governance-of-the-kirk/general-trustees).

General Trustees Building and Property Resources: “This information is designed to support congregations and those responsible for building upkeep, ensuring proper stewardship and compliance. By providing these resources, the General Trustees aim to assist congregations in effectively managing their properties, promoting sustainability, and ensuring appropriate protection against potential risks.” ( https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about-us/departments/general-trustees )

Changes to church insurance: Here is a note describing the change from COSIS to Howden UK Brokers for their insurance policies: “Following the announcement from Church of Scotland Insurance Services Ltd ("COSIS") and the General Trustees at the General Assembly in May, your insurance policy/ies transferred to Howden UK Brokers Limited (“Howden”) on 17 November 2025. Your current cover remains unchanged. The scheme with Aviva continues under Howden’s management, with the same exclusive facility offering premium and cover benefits as was provided to COSIS. We’re delighted that the COSIS team has joined Howden and will continue to provide you with excellent service and advice from our Edinburgh office at 76 Coburg Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6HJ. Your service team contact details are: cos@howdeninsurance.co.uk / 0131 220 4119.”