What is a Listed Building?
A ‘listed building’ is a building of ‘special architectural or historic interest’ included on a Statutory List, which is also referred to as the National Heritage List for England.
The term ‘building’ includes a variety of structures, such as engineering features, monuments, way-markers and boundary stones. Buildings can be listed because of their age; rarity; association with nationally important individuals; groups or events; architectural merit; and method of construction. The special interest of a building is not always visible, for example, an important ancient timber frame may be hidden behind later plaster or brickwork. Not all listed buildings are what we might conventionally think of as beautiful or attractive – some are included purely for their historical value.
Listing is undertaken by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on advice from Historic England. Listed buildings are classified into grades:
- Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest
- Grade II* buildings are particularly important buildings of more than special interest
- Grade II buildings are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them
All listed buildings, regardless of their grade, are afforded the same protection by law.
Current legislation relating to listed buildings is contained within the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
If you want to alter or extend a listed building in a way that affects its character or appearance as a building of special architectural or historic interest, or demolish it, you must first apply for Listed Building Consent from the Council (even where the works don’t require planning permission). Undertaking works without the necessary consent is a criminal offences and it is really important to check before undertaking works.
Listed Building Consent | Historic England
What is included in the Listing?
The list entry includes the address of each building and a brief description which refers to some, but not necessarily all, the important features of the building.
Irrespective of a building’s grade, the whole of the building is included in the listing. This includes the interior as well as the exterior along with any object or structure fixed to the building (including modern extensions) and certain buildings and structure within its ‘curtilage’. This does not mean that all elements are of equal importance and that changes to them will require consent.
Historic England – A Guide for Owners of Listed Buildings
Curtilage Structures
An area of land that is around and associated with a listed building is known as its curtilage. Some buildings with no garden or yard may have no curtilage.
Any object or structure dating from before 1st July 1948 within the curtilage, such as boundary walls and out-buildings, will also normally be considered as being included in its listing. In most cases, the extent of the curtilage will be clear e.g. where there is an obvious garden boundary which has never changed. In other cases, it may be difficult to establish the curtilage with confidence.
The following key factors are generally used to identify if a property is curtilage listed:
- Was the structure constructed before 1st July 1948?
- Was the structure in common ownership with the principal listed building at the time of listing?
- Was there a functional relationship between the structures at the time of listing?
For further information see Historic England’s Listed Buildings and Curtilage advice note.
Listed Building Data
You can view or search the Statutory List on Historic England’s website: Statutory List
You can also view a map of the listed buildings in the borough through the Council’s new online mapping service. The data is Historic England’s listed building point data. Please see the important caveats above about what is included in the listing.
Adding or removing a building from the List
Anyone can request that a building be added or removed (de-listed). A formal application should be made via Historic England setting out clear and sound reasons, based on the special architectural and historic importance of the building as to why the building should be added or removed. Personal, emotional or economic reasons for a building to be de-listed are unlikely to be considered.