“93% of owners see their property as important to local character and enjoy owning a slice of England’s history.”
– Historic England on Listed Building Owners
The owners of Listed properties say they ‘feel privileged to be custodians of our heritage’ according to Historic England but a third have responded to a Historic England survey stating that they require more assistance in the planning process.
The process of extending or altering a Listed Building or a property within a Conservation Area is more extensive than for a standard property, but with the right guidance and working with the appropriate consultants this can be managed accordingly.
Why is a Listed Building different?
Firstly, any Listed Building, whether Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II, requires any work to the fabric of the property to be approved by a Listed Building Consent application in advance. This includes any work to the exterior, interior, even to fixtures and fittings attached to the property, so this encompasses a large range of works. This can seem onerous and time intensive, but it is for the protection of the Listed Building and ensures that the property is looked after in the appropriate manner to preserve its historic fabric.
The site in which the Listed Building is positioned within is known as the Curtilage of the Listed Building and any works to be undertaken within this area normally require the same Listed Building Consents as to those for the building itself.
It is really key to understand that any alteration requires a Listed Building Consent application as this is required by law and it is a criminal offence if works are carried out without permission.
If an application is submitted for an extension or alterations to a Listed Building, a Listed Building Consent application is submitted alongside a standard householder or other relevant application type.
How to approach the process?
If you are considering alterations to a Listed Building or works within a Conservation Area, there are several key contributing factors to a successful application:
- Working with the right architect
- Taking a sensitive approach to the existing building
- Working with a heritage consultant from an early stage
- Being proactive with early stage discussions with the Council’s Conservation Officer.
It is important to work with the right architect, experienced in working with Listed Buildings, who will approach the project in the appropriate way. Fineline Architects have experience working on Grade I and Grade II Listed Buildings with permissions achieved for sensitive yet modern interventions.
Taking a sensitive approach to the existing building allows you to start the project in the right mindset. You can still create exciting and modern spaces when working with a Listed Building, if that is what you are looking for, but it is finding the appropriate route in how to propose any intervention. If you are wanting to extend a Listed Building, you need to be aware that it is unlikely that a Conservation Officer would allow the removal of a full wall of the original historic fabric to create an open plan living area into the new extension. Retaining historic fabric is key, but existing openings can be used to connect the rooms so you can still create wonderful spaces. Working with Fineline Architects, we can guide you as to what would be appropriate and what opportunities can be considered for your property. Often, more recent works in the last 50 years have been undertaken to a Listed Building, and these newer sections of fabric can offer opportunities for larger interventions.
When starting a project for a Listed Building, Fineline Architects always bring a Heritage Consultant on board to the design team early on in the project. An initial appraisal is carried out by the Heritage Consultant to establish the history of the Listed Building, the development of the property and any changes over time. This report and the input of the Heritage Consultant at an early stage is key for a sensitive approach to the initial design.
Once the designs have been developed, and even at quite an early stage in the process, a pre-planning advice application is submitted to the Council to enable an early stage discussion with the Conservation Officer. Often, a comprehensive document set is issued to the Council including the Heritage Appraisal to provide the Conservation Officer with a clear intention for the project and to set out the considerations of a scheme that is sensitive to the heritage of the property. The input of the Heritage Consultant on the impact of the proposals on the historic fabric is a key part of this submission. This starts the conversation with the Conservation Officer, establishing key parameters for the project.
Example: Grade II Listed Cottage, Hurst.
At this Grade II Listed Cottage, the clients were keen to replace the existing 1970s lean-to rear extension to the Listed Building with a more contemporary design which would accommodate an improved kitchen & social space for the family. The existing kitchen was small in scale with minimal storage space for a family of four.
Fineline Architects worked closely with Oxley Conservation to develop the scheme and submit a pre-planning advice application to Wokingham Borough Council. Fineline Architects met and corresponded with the Conservation Officer to establish a design that would remove any concerns of the Conservation Officer for the project.
A successful planning approval and Listed Building Consent was achieved for a contemporary single storey extension replacing the existing lean-to extension to provide an open plan kitchen space for the family.
