How to Plan a Listed Building Renovation
Restoring a listed building can seem daunting, but the key is to seek advice at every stage, say our experts
Julie Butterworth
8 March 2019
Houzz Contributor and homes, architecture and property journalist. I work on a range of homes websites and edit commercial and editorial digital content at the Royal Institute of British Architects Journal. I have managed subbing departments at magazines Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home and web content teams for Time Inc UK’s Homes Network.
Houzz Contributor and homes, architecture and property journalist. I work on a range... More
Doing the research and obtaining any necessary permissions is all part and parcel of owning a listed building. Here, three experts explain what you need to consider ahead of any maintenance or renovation work.
Professional advice from: Lior Brosh of Brosh Architects; Kevin Clarke of KJC Architects; Denis Hayes of Resi
Professional advice from: Lior Brosh of Brosh Architects; Kevin Clarke of KJC Architects; Denis Hayes of Resi
What is Listed Building Consent?
There are a few government bodies that aim to save, protect and champion buildings, parks and monuments considered to have heritage value and merit being ‘listed’. These include Historic England (formerly English Heritage), Historic Wales, Historic Scotland and the Built Heritage Directorate of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
“All listed buildings can be found online, and the listing describes the aspects of the building that have been documented as a heritage asset,” Kevin Clarke says. “This often includes the surrounding grounds of the building, including perimeter walls and fences.
“To make changes to any building on the list, you need to apply to the relative governing body for Listed Building Consent prior to any work being carried out,” he says, and explains that this refers to both internal and external changes.
There are a few government bodies that aim to save, protect and champion buildings, parks and monuments considered to have heritage value and merit being ‘listed’. These include Historic England (formerly English Heritage), Historic Wales, Historic Scotland and the Built Heritage Directorate of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
“All listed buildings can be found online, and the listing describes the aspects of the building that have been documented as a heritage asset,” Kevin Clarke says. “This often includes the surrounding grounds of the building, including perimeter walls and fences.
“To make changes to any building on the list, you need to apply to the relative governing body for Listed Building Consent prior to any work being carried out,” he says, and explains that this refers to both internal and external changes.
Listed buildings come in three categories of significance: Grade I for buildings of the highest significance; Grade II*, and Grade II.
“Most listed building owners are likely to live in a Grade II building, as these make up 92% of all listed buildings,” Denis Hayes says. “Listing means there will be extra control over what changes can be made to a building’s interior and exterior.
“Owners will need to apply for Listed Building Consent for most types of work that affect the ‘special architectural or historic interest’ of their home,” he says.
“Most listed building owners are likely to live in a Grade II building, as these make up 92% of all listed buildings,” Denis Hayes says. “Listing means there will be extra control over what changes can be made to a building’s interior and exterior.
“Owners will need to apply for Listed Building Consent for most types of work that affect the ‘special architectural or historic interest’ of their home,” he says.
What is Retrospective Consent?
“Retrospective Consent is required when works have been carried out without approval from the local planning authority or any other governing body, such as Historic England,” Kevin says.
“If you’ve done work without prior permission,” Lior Brosh explains, “you’ll need to ‘regularise’ any unauthorised development that’s facing potential enforcement action.”
Denis adds, “Quite often, people discover that something they thought was perfectly acceptable to do with their listed home actually isn’t. In this instance, they would need to apply for Retrospective Listed Building Consent, which involves putting in a full Listed Building Consent application.”
“Retrospective Consent is required when works have been carried out without approval from the local planning authority or any other governing body, such as Historic England,” Kevin says.
“If you’ve done work without prior permission,” Lior Brosh explains, “you’ll need to ‘regularise’ any unauthorised development that’s facing potential enforcement action.”
Denis adds, “Quite often, people discover that something they thought was perfectly acceptable to do with their listed home actually isn’t. In this instance, they would need to apply for Retrospective Listed Building Consent, which involves putting in a full Listed Building Consent application.”
What if a listed building is also in a conservation area?
Living in a conservation area adds an extra dimension to how your renovation will be assessed, Lior says. “You will not only need to preserve or enhance the setting of the listed building, but will also need to do the same in the context of the conservation area.”
Denis adds, “A conservation area takes into account the general streetscape, whereas Listed Building Consent will relate more to the specifics of your property.
“Conservation areas involve extra planning controls and considerations, but these exist to protect the historic and architectural elements that make the place special,” he says. “They are most likely to affect owners who want to work on the outside of their building.”
Living in a conservation area adds an extra dimension to how your renovation will be assessed, Lior says. “You will not only need to preserve or enhance the setting of the listed building, but will also need to do the same in the context of the conservation area.”
Denis adds, “A conservation area takes into account the general streetscape, whereas Listed Building Consent will relate more to the specifics of your property.
“Conservation areas involve extra planning controls and considerations, but these exist to protect the historic and architectural elements that make the place special,” he says. “They are most likely to affect owners who want to work on the outside of their building.”
If you live in a conservation area, Kevin says, “You’ll need to get approval from both the council and Historic England [or your local equivalent] for any substantial works being carried out externally to the property. If the building is listed, too, you may need to seek approval for any internal alterations.
“It’s also worth noting,” he adds, “that any trees in a conservation area are usually protected under a Tree Preservation Order. They can’t be altered without prior approval from the local planning authority.”
“It’s also worth noting,” he adds, “that any trees in a conservation area are usually protected under a Tree Preservation Order. They can’t be altered without prior approval from the local planning authority.”
Will general on-going maintenance inside and out also require consent?
As a rule, you don’t need to get consent for general maintenance. “But it does depend on the scale of the maintenance,” Kevin warns. “If there’s no material change and the maintenance is considered to be essential for the upkeep of the building, then approval is not required.
“For example,” he says, “if you need to clean and paint the rainwater goods [gutters and downpipes] and you paint them in the same colour, it would be considered acceptable. However, if an old metal gutter is broken and needs to be replaced, then it would have to be replaced on a like-for-like basis.
“Contact the local council’s heritage officer and English Heritage [or your equivalent] to ask if they consider it to be worthy of a formal application,” he advises. “Often, they’ll provide a quick email response to say formal approval is not required on the assumption it’s on a like-for-like basis.”
Denis agrees. “If you live in a listed building, it’s always sensible to seek advice before touching the actual fabric of your property,” he says. “If it’s Grade I listed, this includes changing any internal finishes or walls. Essentially, if it’s listed, you can take nothing for granted and should check with your local conservation officer before carrying out any works.”
As a rule, you don’t need to get consent for general maintenance. “But it does depend on the scale of the maintenance,” Kevin warns. “If there’s no material change and the maintenance is considered to be essential for the upkeep of the building, then approval is not required.
“For example,” he says, “if you need to clean and paint the rainwater goods [gutters and downpipes] and you paint them in the same colour, it would be considered acceptable. However, if an old metal gutter is broken and needs to be replaced, then it would have to be replaced on a like-for-like basis.
“Contact the local council’s heritage officer and English Heritage [or your equivalent] to ask if they consider it to be worthy of a formal application,” he advises. “Often, they’ll provide a quick email response to say formal approval is not required on the assumption it’s on a like-for-like basis.”
Denis agrees. “If you live in a listed building, it’s always sensible to seek advice before touching the actual fabric of your property,” he says. “If it’s Grade I listed, this includes changing any internal finishes or walls. Essentially, if it’s listed, you can take nothing for granted and should check with your local conservation officer before carrying out any works.”
Is it possible to get a grant for repair and conservation work?
“There are grants available for certain types of work,” Kevin says, “but they can be difficult to obtain without a substantial amount of red tape to prove you qualify for any subsidy.
“The grants can be for repairs, management projects or research,” he says. “However, if you’re looking for a contribution for small repairs or a new extension to your property, it can be difficult or impossible to obtain.”
Lior adds, “You can justify a development under the Enabling Development argument, as defined by Historic England. So you could propose a new residential development within an estate, for example, to justify and help pay for the repair of a dilapidated listed building.”
However, Lior explains that this would need to be weighed up very carefully.
What Do I Need to Know About Laying a Wood Floor?
“There are grants available for certain types of work,” Kevin says, “but they can be difficult to obtain without a substantial amount of red tape to prove you qualify for any subsidy.
“The grants can be for repairs, management projects or research,” he says. “However, if you’re looking for a contribution for small repairs or a new extension to your property, it can be difficult or impossible to obtain.”
Lior adds, “You can justify a development under the Enabling Development argument, as defined by Historic England. So you could propose a new residential development within an estate, for example, to justify and help pay for the repair of a dilapidated listed building.”
However, Lior explains that this would need to be weighed up very carefully.
What Do I Need to Know About Laying a Wood Floor?
“Unfortunately, for private owners of listed properties, grants are very few and far between,” Denis says. “However, a small number of local authorities still provide small discretionary grants for buildings of architectural or historic interest. It’s best to contact them directly to find out whether they offer any funding.”
Denis also highlights the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, who both provide grants in very particular circumstances. He advises getting in touch with the Listed Property Owners’ Club to find out more about grants. The club is an authoritative source of information and advice on the maintenance, responsibilities and obligations of ownership of Britain’s protected buildings.
Denis also highlights the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, who both provide grants in very particular circumstances. He advises getting in touch with the Listed Property Owners’ Club to find out more about grants. The club is an authoritative source of information and advice on the maintenance, responsibilities and obligations of ownership of Britain’s protected buildings.
Where would you go for expert advice on listed building renovation?
“If you’re going to upgrade a listed building, it’s crucial to get organised early by contacting your local conservation officer and finding an architect who understands the requirements,” Denis says.
“The Historic England website has an excellent advice section for professionals and homeowners,” Kevin adds. “There’s a contact number you can call to discuss any queries with a specialist on the phone. The key with any listed building renovation, he says, is research, research – and more research.
“The Royal Institute of British Architects [RIBA] also provides a lot of helpful information relating to services around heritage buildings,” Kevin continues. “If you’re looking for an architect with particular heritage experience, you can contact RIBA directly to find professionals in your area who are suitable for your project.”
Find period property and restoration specialists in your area.
“If you’re going to upgrade a listed building, it’s crucial to get organised early by contacting your local conservation officer and finding an architect who understands the requirements,” Denis says.
“The Historic England website has an excellent advice section for professionals and homeowners,” Kevin adds. “There’s a contact number you can call to discuss any queries with a specialist on the phone. The key with any listed building renovation, he says, is research, research – and more research.
“The Royal Institute of British Architects [RIBA] also provides a lot of helpful information relating to services around heritage buildings,” Kevin continues. “If you’re looking for an architect with particular heritage experience, you can contact RIBA directly to find professionals in your area who are suitable for your project.”
Find period property and restoration specialists in your area.
How do homeowners track down specialist tradespeople?
“The Listed Property Owners’ Club can provide advice on finding specialists,” Denis says.
Or try Historic England, Kevin recommends. “They provide great advice on where to track down local builders and tradespeople.”
“Once you get a name, request references and examples of previous commissions to make sure the person can take on such work,” Lior concludes.
Tell us…
Can you pass on any tips or experiences about planning a listed building renovation? Share your advice in the Comments section.
“The Listed Property Owners’ Club can provide advice on finding specialists,” Denis says.
Or try Historic England, Kevin recommends. “They provide great advice on where to track down local builders and tradespeople.”
“Once you get a name, request references and examples of previous commissions to make sure the person can take on such work,” Lior concludes.
Tell us…
Can you pass on any tips or experiences about planning a listed building renovation? Share your advice in the Comments section.
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Extremely archaic bureaucratic process which benefits no-one. I once lived in a conservation area and it took 9 months to obtain planning permission for a stone extension on our barn conversion. We were not idiots - we researched our materials carefully and the project eventually cost £50k including 4 tonnes of Yorkshire stone for the roof. I make no apologies when I say that the council employees are not qualified or experienced enough to make sensible decisions - no doubt they have their own red tape to tie themselves up with. It was farcical and expensive, and we had to sit in on a council hearing with a dozen other applicants all equally as hacked off as us. One applicant was a farmer who wished to erect a building for his livestock- this was rural Lancashire - hardly the employment hotspot! I was in tears as was another applicant. The finished result was stunning - but my husband was made redundant on the day we finally completed it and we had to move anyway. This was probably 8 years ago and the ferocity of my feelings about this subject has not lessened! Good look to everyone going through this process.
I am about to undertake the total renovation and reconfiguration of a 3 story Grade 2 listed house that has served many purposes throughout its long history. It has been the workshop and home for 4 families of wool carders, functioned as a chapel and served the home guard during the war to name but a few. Last year it took me hundreds of hours to write up the required Listed Building Planning document and draw up all the plans for my proposal to convert it into two dwellings. The process also involved researching everything down to the finest detail from foam glass under floor insulation to upgrading historic sash windows. There was also the all too important research into the history of the house to give meaning to my proposal.
I have no formal training or experience so it was a huge undertaking for me but a little under eight months after submitting my application I received the green light for absolutely everything. No one could have been more surprised than I was!
Some of my proposals I imagined to be definite no no’s but I now believe they were well received because I emphasised throughout that I don’t want to change the character of the house. My aim is rather to create two comfortable homes well suited to current expectations whilst at the same time preserving and enhancing the buildings historic features. I will also be adding another historic layer to the houses multifunctional usefulness.
The best thing I did was to seek out the advice of the Council’s Heritage Officer through a pre planning site meeting before I even purchased the house. It was definitely money well spent. She was clearly knowledgable and interested in preserving our built heritage. She also appeared to understand that in order to preserve an historic house it needed to be used. LB Planning officers get a lot of bad press, some of it, I grant you, may be well deserved. I do however feel that if, from the onset, you demonstrate that your intentions are in the best interests of the house then you will likely be supported throughout.
I do have to agree though that there is much about the planning application process that is challenging, confusing and downright frustrating. However, whether you chose to undertake the task yourself or to bring in the professionals for some or all of it, remember to never lose sight of what attracted you to the house in the first place. Working with the house and not against it can often liberate good, creative ideas and solutions.
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