Listed building
What is a listed building, and what consent do I need?
What is a listed building, and what consent do I need?
A listed building is one on the national list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. Works that affect its character — inside or out — need listed building consent, which is separate from planning permission and carries criminal liability for unauthorised work.
What listed building means
Listing is graded (I, II* and II) and protects the whole building, including its interior and any structures within its curtilage. Even minor changes can require consent.
Listed building consent and planning permission are separate regimes: a project can need one, the other, or both.
“When considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation (and the more important the asset, the greater the weight should be).”NPPF paragraph 212 · full text in the library → · official source →
What it means for your project
Assume that any alteration affecting character — windows, internal walls, extensions, even some repairs — needs listed building consent, and budget for a heritage statement.
National policy gives great weight to conserving a listed building, scaled to its importance. Specialist advice is usually worth it; a screening report tells you where you stand before you commission it.
Listed building is published as the “Listed building” dataset on the national planning data index. A Planning Policy report reads it live for your exact address.
Where listed building matters most
Does listed building apply at your address?
A Planning Policy report applies the official rules to your exact property: the designations on your address, the policies that bear on your project — quoted verbatim — and what decided applications nearby show. Generated in minutes.