What are Heritage Listings and what do they mean?
By Qandor member Emma Morby, Director of Land Acquisition at Heritage England, a vibrant property development company that explores boundaries of innovation and history, creating affordable and luxury homes through renovations and conversations.
A building is listed when it is of special architectural or historic interest considered to be of national importance and therefore worth protecting. As the term implies, a listed building is actually added to a list: the National Heritage List for England.
A heritage listing puts restrictions on the redevelopment of a property to preserve it in its current condition. Most buildings built between 1700 and 1840 are listed. After 1840 more selection is exercised and "particularly careful selection" is applied after 1945. Buildings less than 30 years old are rarely listed unless they are of outstanding quality and under threat - for example, the appearance of a building that is particularly exceptional.
The National Heritage List for England (NHLE) is the only official up-to-date register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites in England. It’s an online searchable database which includes 400,000 (most but not all) of England's listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, protected historic wrecks and registered battlefields in one place.
So, what do the listings mean?
Listed buildings come in three categories of 'significance':
Grade I for buildings of the highest significance
Grade II* and
Grade II
Grade 3 (less commonly known)
Most listed building owners are likely to live in a Grade II building, as these make up 92% of all listed buildings.
Grade I are buildings of exceptional interest and may also have been judged to be of significant national importance. Grade 1 listing is usually reserved for much older and historically important buildings, such as cathedrals, castles, towers and town halls. Buckingham Palace is among one of England’s Grade I listed buildings.
Grade II*: These are particularly important buildings of more than special interest - they warrant every effort to preserve them. This is Manchester central library and is a Grade II* listed building.
Grade II: These listed buildings are subject to regulations which protect their historical and architectural significance. These buildings are of special interest, meaning alterations and building work can't be carried out without written consent from the relevant authorities. Buildings listed on the register are legally protected from being demolished, extended or significantly altered without special permission from the local planning authority.
Grade 3: Local authorities keep a list of non-statutory buildings of local interest. This is sometimes referred to as Grade 3, but they are not listed buildings. Grading reflects the relative importance of the buildings but is of no legal significance.
I often get asked if a listed building can be delisted and the simple answer is occasionally. It all depends on the listing itself, but this process is not an easy undertaking. Typically, only around 50% of applications are approved at Grade II level and involves a lengthy consultation and review process. To support your case, you will need to provide evidence that proves the building does not meet the criteria for listed buildings.
The criteria for listing include architectural interest, historic interest and close historical associations with significant people or events. Buildings not individually noteworthy may still be listed if they form part of a group that is—for example, all the buildings in a square or courtyard.
These historic buildings are often brought below market value but it’s important to remember they come with far more “red tape” than your average purchase and will require a lot more money and expertise to deliver the project.
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