What Is Listed Building Consent & Do I Need It?

You may need listed building consent for any changes you want to make to your listed property.
What Is Listed Building Consent & Do I Need It?

There are estimated to be 500,000 listed buildings in England and Wales. Listed buildings are properties of historic and architectural interest and are strictly protected under planning legislation.

Listed Building Grades

Listed buildings are categorised into three grades:

Grade I listed buildings would be described as being of exceptional architectural and historic importance and are rare to find. Examples include The Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Approximately 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I.

Grade II* listed buildings are of particular national and architectural important or special interest, they make up approximately 6% of all listed building.

Grade II listed buildings are of special interest and make up 92% of all listed buildings, residential homes tend to fall within this category.

Listed Building Consent - Do You Need It?

Listed building consent is required for all works of demolition, alteration or extension to a listed building. It does not automatically mean work cannot be carried out on the building, it just means an application must be submitted and approved by the Local Authority.

A listed status and the restrictions it brings with it applies to the whole building and often includes any buildings that are attached or are within the curtilage of the listed building.  The listing also protects anything that could be considered as a fixture to the listed building.

If work requires listed building consent it is a criminal offence to carry out that work without first securing consent from your Local Planning Authority. If your listed property is also within a Conservation Area then a Conservation Officer is assigned to the application to ensure the development encourages the protection of the building, its context and the environment.

If proposals effect the external appearance of a building then planning consent is usually required in addition to listed building consent. Both applications are submitted together but generate two separate consents.

If you are unsure whether or not work requires listed building consent or you would like to discuss your project please call us on 01227 840 460 to speak with James himself or send an email to info@jamesclague.co.uk.

Need some advice or help with a project?

We offer a free consultation to help assess what you're trying to achieve, how we can help and explain the process.

You may also like:
Buying A Listed Building: 8 Things You Should Know

Buying A Listed Building: 8 Things You Should Know

According to heritage and conservation expert Anske Bax, there are eight things you need to know before buying a listed property.
Can You Add An Extension To A Grade 2 listed Building?

Can You Add An Extension To A Grade 2 listed Building?

Heritage and conservation expert, Anske Bax, answers some common questions around extending a listed building.
Book A Consultation

Our team of specialist architects offer a completely free and no-obligation telephone consultation to discuss your project, explain the process and how we can help.

architect consultation
Book a consultation

Send us a few details & our team will get in touch to arrange a completely free & no-obligation telephone consultation for your project.

Thank you! We've received your request and we'll be in contact ASAP.
Oops! Please check you've filled in all the required information and have another go.