What can I do with a listed building? A guide for owners to alterations and listed building consent

At ADAM Architecture we often work with listed buildings – bringing them up to the standards of comfort and energy efficiency required for modern living, while respecting the historic fabric and character of the architecture.

We know that taking ownership of a listed building can be a daunting prospect, but our award-winning architects and architectural historians are experienced in the many issues which may present themselves and are used to working with planning authorities and heritage bodies to ensure the best possible outcome for clients.

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about what listing means for homeowners.

What is listing?

In the United Kingdom, buildings of special architectural or historic interest are often legally protected by listing. This means that any changes require prior consent, usually from the local planning authority.

The bodies that oversee listings across the UK are Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw in Wales and the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.

How can buildings be listed?

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) sets out the criteria for listing buildings and decides whether buildings can be listed, based on reports prepared by Historic England.

The statutory criteria for listing buildings considers age, rarity and “historical importance”. A building can be nominated for listing because of its connection to the life of a famous person, or its presence during an important event, for example the wooden huts at Bletchley Park that housed the codebreakers during the Second World War. An interesting group of buildings – such as a model village or a square – may also be listed.

The older a building is, the more likely it is to be listed. All buildings built before 1700 retaining a significant portion of their original fabric are listed, as are most built between 1700 and 1840. After that date, the criteria become tighter, so post-1945 buildings have to be of exceptional importance to be listed. Currently, the youngest listed building in England is Sphinx Hill House, built in 1999.

What do the different listing levels mean?

There are more than 400,000 listed sites in the UK, of which around 2.5% are Grade I-listed, recognising them as of exceptional interest, and meaning Historic England must be consulted on any proposed alteration work. Just under 6% of the list is Grade II*, for buildings which are considered particularly important, so applications for alteration work are processed by the local authority, which has the discretion to involve Historic England. Both grades may be eligible for grants for repair work.

The remainder of the list, more than 90%, is listed at Grade II. These buildings are of special interest but applications for alteration are dealt with by the conservation officer at the local authority.

What does listing mean for owners of listed buildings?

Every aspect of the building and its setting are listed, and the listing might also include buildings on the site within the curtilage.

Whilst like-for-like repairs may sometimes be undertaken by specialist contractors without consent, it is a criminal offence to alter a listed building or its setting without listed building consent: this liability passes from owner to owner, and can include things like replacing windows or doors, knocking down internal walls, painting over brickwork or removing fireplaces.

Whereas planning policies deal with matters of fact, the policies concerning listed buildings rely upon opinion. It is obviously vital for owners of listed buildings to understand why the building was listed, how it has evolved but also to assess the importance of each element within the areas that you would like to undertake work.

We have an extensive track record of successfully securing listed building consent from a wide range of local planning authorities throughout the UK, and as a specialist consultant ADAM Architecture can help you to develop a scheme that stands a good chance of securing consent. Get in touch to find out more

How can I speed up my listed building consent application?

There are several ways to optimise your application for listed building consent – for example a single large application can stand a better chance than several smaller applications, especially if elements of the scheme are controversial. Weight is also given to long-term ownership.

Planners tend to prefer the original use of a listed building, and any proposal to change the use will need to include a complete case against maintaining the original use, and an assessment of the positive impact of the new use.

What next?

ADAM Architecture has extensive experience in researching the history of buildings and writing reports to help guide proposals for altering and extending historic buildings. Our in-house dedicated historic research team is led by Dr Helen Lawrence-Beaton. Read more about our historic building work or get in touch to talk about working together on your listed property.