What Building Work Can and Can’t You Do On A Listed Property
If you’re fortunate enough to own or live in a Grade-listed building, a rarity constituting a mere 2% of England’s architectural landscape, then you will know the enchanting beauty and historical significance a property like this embodies.
However, within the extraordinary allure lies a web of regulations governing property maintenance. No added extensions, double-glazed windows prohibited, or ripping out unpleasant coloured bathroom suites may come to mind when it comes to listed properties. So, what can you do to your Grade-listed building?
Architectural Ironmonger Jeremy Barltrop at G Johns & Sons dives into the limitations of owning a listed building as well as what you can and can’t do to your property.
Before delving into how to care for a listed building, first, it’s important to understand what a grade-listed building is and how a building classifies as ‘grade-listed’.
Listing is a way of recognising and honouring a building’s unique architectural and historical significance. It also involves subjecting the building to the planning system, ensuring its protection for future generations.
Generally, the older a building is and the rarer its kind, the more likely it is to be listed. Buildings constructed before 1700 that still retain much of their original features are likely candidates, as are most buildings built between 1700 and 1850. Selecting buildings from the post-1945 period requires careful consideration. Buildings less than 30 years old are typically not considered for listing.
Grade I buildings represent exceptional interest, constituting only 2.5% of all listed buildings. Grade II* buildings hold particular importance, accounting for 5.5% of listed buildings. The majority, 92%, fall under Grade II, indicating a special interest in terms of their architectural and historical significance.
Can’s
- Remove Loose Furnishings (e.g. tables, chairs, dressers): Loose furnishings are not covered by the listing process. However, items affixed to the building, such as light fixtures, might contribute to the special interest of the house, requiring consent for removal.
- Replace Fitted Furniture (e.g. kitchens, bathrooms, units): Fitted furniture, usually installed relatively recently, may not require consent for removal.
- Decorating Interior Walls: When existing decorative finishes are recent it should be possible to repaint and re-hang wallpaper or wall art.
- Maintenance: You can carry out regular maintenance, for example fixing leaks, repainting, and addressing general wear and tear.
- Like-for-Like Replacement: Replacement of existing features or materials with similar ones, known as “like-for-like” replacement, may be allowed if they are beyond repair.
- Building Work: Consult with the local planning authority before commencing major work, as some alterations or extensions may be permissible with proper planning permission.
Cant’s
- Alterations to Character-Defining Features: Modifying or removing features that contribute to the building’s special interest, such as original windows, doors, or decorative elements, typically requires consent.
- Changes to Use: Changing the use of the building may necessitate consent, particularly if it impacts its historic character (e.g., using a house as a shop).
- Building Work and Extensions: Major extensions or structural alterations may necessitate consent and must be sympathetic to the existing design.
- Older Fitted Furniture and Bookcases: These items, or similar, may be considered part of the listing and are subject to restrictions.
- ‘Stripping Back’: Removing paint and finishes to reveal bare construction materials may impact the special interest and usually requires consent. “Stripping back to reveal the original” often diminishes the historical value of a listed house.
- Demolition: This may be an obvious one, but demolition of a Grade-listed building or any part of it is usually prohibited without explicit consent.
Given this information, if you own a Grade-listed building, it’s crucial to engage a specialised surveyor and consult with your local authority before proceeding with any planned building work or maintenance.
Unauthorised building work on a listed building is a criminal offence, punishable by an unlimited fine, which saw one couple fined £47,000 for making unauthorised alterations to a Grade II listed building dating back to the 17th century in the Peak District National Park back in 2016. Or worse, the damage could also result in up to two years of imprisonment if prosecuted.
About G Johns
G Johns is a specialist in Ironmongeries supplying products such as door handles, door fittings, hinges, sliding doors, locks and latches, window fittings, cabinet hardware, and much more. G Johns can supply architectural ironmongery to suit projects such as residential properties, large developments, housing estates, listed buildings, refurbishment and restoration projects, offices, schools, hospitals, and commercial properties.
G Johns is a 5th-generation family business over 135 years old, founded in 1888 and incorporated in 1943 and was originally based in Islington, North London, but moved to Harlow, Essex in 2021.
