doodlebuildingWHAT THE LISTING RULES SAY
A listed building can change. It just needs care.
ASK FIRST before you alter
91.7% Share of listed buildings at Grade II
Listing marks a building as of special architectural or historic interest in England. Owners can repair and adapt it, but changes that affect its character need listed building consent first, inside as well as out.
THE SHORT ANSWER
The grade shows how special a building is.
The protection is the same for all three.
THE GRADES
Grade I is exceptional, Grade II* is more than special and Grade II is special. Plymouth City Council notes 91.7% of listed buildings are Grade II, and the legal protection is the same for every grade.
See the numbersWINDOWS
Replacing or altering windows and doors needs consent. Routine maintenance, such as re-puttying or painting in the same colour, does not.
Check a jobREPAIRS
Old brick and stone walls were built with soft lime mortar that lets them breathe. Hard modern cement can trap moisture and cause damp.
How to approach itGeneral information only, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or a free advice service.
A QUICK JOB CHECK
Pick a common job on a listed home to see what council guidance usually says. The bar shows how likely it is that listed building consent is needed.
Based on Plymouth City Council's guidance for owners, which draws on Historic England advice. Every listed building is different: ask your own council before you start.
FOUR STEPS BEFORE ANY WORK
Listed building consent is free to apply for, but the work you do without it can be costly to undo. These steps come from council and government guidance.
Look the building up on the National Heritage List for England. A feature not mentioned in the description can still be protected.
Unless the list entry excludes them, listing covers the interior, anything fixed to the building and structures within its curtilage.
Mending windows, roofs and walls in matching materials keeps the historic fabric and often fixes draughts and damp.
Councils offer pre-application advice. If you think consent is not needed, you can apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness of Proposed Works.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
How listed buildings split between the grades,
using the figures quoted by Plymouth City Council.
91.7%
Share of listed buildings at Grade II
Grade II is the most likely grade for a homeowner. These buildings are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.
GRADE II · PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL
2.5%
Share of listed buildings at Grade I
Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest. A further 5.8% are Grade II*, particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
GRADE I · PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL
Under section 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, carrying out unauthorised works is a criminal offence, with up to two years in prison or a fine, or both, on indictment.
HOW BUILDINGS GET LISTED
Government principles say that before 1700, any building keeping a significant share of its original fabric is likely to be of special interest, and from 1700 to 1850 most are. From 1850 the selection grows stricter, and after 1945 careful selection is needed.
Buildings under 30 years old are not normally listed, unless they are of outstanding quality. A building's state of repair is not usually a reason to list it or not, and listing protects types as varied as palaces, barns, tombstones and skate parks.
Questions
Grade I buildings are of exceptional special interest, Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest, and Grade II are of special interest. Plymouth City Council notes there is no difference in their level of legal protection.
No. Unless the list entry says otherwise, protection applies to the whole building, including the interior, objects or structures fixed to it, and structures within its curtilage, such as boundary walls.
Not for routine maintenance. Plymouth City Council's guidance says re-puttying, painting in the same colour, replacing broken panes or fitting exact copies of the existing windows does not need permission.
Plymouth City Council says there is no fee to apply, though you need to provide supporting drawings and information. Councils may charge for detailed pre-application advice.
It is a criminal offence under section 9 of the 1990 Act. Owners may also have to return the building to its original state, so buyers should check that earlier alterations had consent.
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