Apply for listed building consent

If your property is listed, all parts of the building (inside and out, and anything attached to it) are protected. This applies even if items do not appear on the List.

It can be challenging to decide which alterations may affect the character of a listed building. In each case, it often comes down to our professional judgment.

A building might be listed due to its relationship with the primary listed building on the site, as per Section 1(5) of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Whether a building is 'curtilage' listed or not is something that also requires research. This might be information contained within deeds, and historic maps or plans. Our Heritage team will decide which changes affect the special architectural or historic character of a building.

Changes need listed building consent in line with Part I, Section 7 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Carrying out works without consent could be a criminal offence.

Due to their unique nature, it is difficult to answer general questions about listed building consent. However, there are some elements of work that tend not to need consent.

Unauthorised works

You must not carry out any works to a listed building, that need listed building consent, without first getting consent.

This is a criminal offence as per Part I, Chapter II, Section 9 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Unauthorised works can also affect the sale of a house.

Where this is evidence or suspicion to suggest that unauthorised works have been carried out, our Planning Enforcement team will investigate.

1. Rewiring (unless it requires structural alterations)
2. New heating systems and new radiators. However if a new external flue or boiler is needed, this is likely to need consent or permission
3. Repainting walls, or decorating windows and external doors, in the same colour as the existing one(s)
4. 'Like for like' repair on a small scale and when using matching materials and methods. The extent of the repair should still be discussed with our Heritage team

Please note that 'like for like' is a phrase often used with reference to listed buildings - sometimes wrongly. The phrase 'like for like' does not appear anywhere in the relevant legislation (the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990).

A Heritage Statement is required with all development proposals requiring planning permission or listed building consent, when the proposal directly involves, or affects the setting of a “heritage asset”.

Compilation of a Heritage Statement will be applicable to the following types of proposal:

• Development requiring listed building consent
• Development within the curtilage of a listed building (Including building/s that formed part of the curtilage when Listed and/or older than 1948 even if not part of the same ownership in present day)
• Development within or adjoining Conservation Areas
• Development adjacent to a Heritage asset shall be taken to “affect” the setting for the purpose of validation, but “setting” may be far more significant covering a wider area depending on the importance of the asset and proposed development
• Development affecting a Registered Park or Garden of Special Historic Interest
• Applications affecting an unlisted building on the Historic Environment Record (HER)/Local List

Please note: Applications affecting non-designated heritage assets (i.e. unlisted buildings of historic value) and/or development affecting the setting of any Listed Building/non designated heritage assets may be judged as needing a heritage statement during the course of an application once our Heritage team have reviewed the application. If in any doubt or you consider that this is likely, please submit a Heritage Statement or consider pursuing pre application advice to discuss further. For further information please contact the heritage team.)

Any proposed works which are considered to cause harm by the applicant/agent should be detailed for the local authority to consider. If you are in any doubt as to whether the proposed works would cause any harm, please contact the local authority to discuss. Some proposals will affect more than one asset, so the statement/s should address all relevant assets.   Heritage assets may be “designated” (i.e. they have been formally assessed and recognised as heritage assets under national designation regimes) 

Heritage assets may be “designated” (i.e. they have been formally assessed and recognised as heritage assets under national designation regimes) or “non-designated” (i.e. identified by or through a local authority and acknowledged at a local level).

• Heritage assets, designated under the relevant legislation, comprise of World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings, Protected Wreck Sites, Registered Parks and Gardens, Registered Battlefields and Conservation Areas
• Non-designated heritage assets will typically be buildings, archaeological sites and historic parks or gardens that have historic value, but not designated.  These may include buildings/features that exist today that can be also found on a 1st edition OS or pre-1920 OS map.

When a Heritage Statement is required, it shall set out details of the history and development of the asset, using photographic, map, archival and fabric evidence and include the following as a minimum:

• Demonstrate consideration of the relevant Historic Environment Record
• A photographic record, showing the site context and spaces and features which might be affected by the proposal, preferably cross-referenced to survey drawings
• An assessment of the archaeological, architectural, historical or other significance of the asset and its setting
• An assessment of the impact of the proposed works on the significance of the asset and impact on its setting, and a statement of justification for those works, together with details of any mitigation measures proposed.  The statement needs to sufficiently explain why the proposals are necessary or desirable
• The statement shall outline if a variety of options have been considered and why the proposed option was chosen
• If any historic fabric is to be removed or altered as a result of the proposed development, its significance shall be properly understood and explained in the document
• If relating to a Listed Building, the statement shall explain if the works proposed are reversible in whole or in part

At present, there is no fee for a listed building consent application.

You can do the drawings yourself, but they must be accurate and to a recognised scale.

The other documents you must provide are:

• a Heritage Statement
• a Design and Access Statement

If we do not receive these documents, we will not be able to validate your application.

You apply for listed building consent via Planning Portal:

Apply for listed building consent

You may also need regular planning permission to carry out your proposed works. We always recommend that - ahead of making any application(s) - you talk to us via our pre-application advice service.