Spring is when many owners of listed buildings start the repairs they have put off over the winter. Repointing, roof work, window repairs and redecoration all come round. The question we are asked most often is simple: do I need listed building consent for this? The honest answer is that it depends on what the work does to the building, and getting it wrong matters, because carrying out unauthorised works to a listed building is a criminal offence.
The legal test
Under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, listed building consent is needed for the demolition of a listed building, and for any works of alteration or extension which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The protection covers the whole building, inside and out, not just the parts mentioned in the list description, and can extend to fixtures and some structures within its curtilage.
Where repair usually ends
Genuine like for like repair, using matching materials and methods, does not normally need consent. Problems arise when “repair” changes the building. Common examples include:
- repointing in hard cement mortar where the original was soft lime;
- replacing timber sash windows, rather than repairing them, or changing their glazing;
- renewing a slate or clay tile roof in a different material;
- removing original plaster, panelling, doors or chimneypieces;
- applying modern coatings or renders that trap moisture in old walls.
Each of these can affect character, and each may need consent.
A practical approach
- Understand the building first. A survey that records its construction, condition and significant features is the best starting point.
- Repair rather than replace wherever possible, and repair only what is needed.
- Specify traditional materials, such as lime mortars and matching timber, and say so clearly in the specification.
- Where there is doubt, speak to the local authority conservation officer before work starts, and apply for consent if advised.
- Choose contractors with experience of historic buildings, and supervise the work.
Why it is worth the care
Good conservation is usually good building practice too. Traditional buildings perform well when they are allowed to breathe and are repaired with compatible materials. Inappropriate repairs often fail early and cause the very decay they were meant to prevent.
See our Planning and Heritage service, and how we later took a Grade I listed town house from consent to completion.