Church of England move will free up funds for local parishes.

The Church of England has sold the Central London headquarters of the Church Commissioners to the House of Lords for £65m. The Grade-II listed building, 1 Millbank will be used as overflow office space for the Lords.

The Church Commissioners will move into Church House, the headquarters of the General Synod in Great Smith Street, in 2007.

The move is part of a review of the Commissioners’ assets, including bishops’ palaces and houses.

William Caro designed 1 Millbank in 1906 and it was thought to house the first passenger lift in an English office building.