The UK is full of beautiful, historical buildings and locations of interest. To protect them, legislation for Listed Buildings and Conservation areas was put into place, restricting the amount of work that can be done without special permission.
We’re Johnson Design Partnership, a Shropshire architect firm whose architects have worked on dozens of home remodel and extension projects for listed buildings and conservation areas. Our home remodel architects have put together this guide to tell you all you need to know about these protected areas of historical and cultural heritage.
Bishop Percy’s Tea Room renovated by Johnson Design Partnership Ltd.
This grade I listed building is an iconic landmark in Shropshire and the project has earned recognition in the prestigious Shropshire Council Conservation and Design Awards, receiving a commendation for its outstanding contribution to building conservation and design.
A listed building is a structure recognised for its special architectural or historic qualities. They’re called listed buildings because they are recorded on the Natural Heritage List. Because of this, the building is protected from being demolished, extended, or altered without special permission called Listed Building Consent.
This is a special form of planning permission needed for alterations to a listed building that would change its character. Examples of this include changing from iron to PVC gutters, changing from wood panels to tiles, single to double glazing, and even installing an extractor fan in a bathroom. At least you can change the furnishings and paint as you please.
You wouldn’t need Listed Building Consent for like-for-like repairs, where the material and design wouldn’t be changed. Lastly, Listed Building Consent is separate from normal planning permission, meaning you will need to apply for both if you are planning big changes like building an extension.
It sounds like a tall order to keep in line with, but listed buildings aren’t your average semi-detached homes, they’re Victorian estates, Tudor inns, Welsh thatched cottages – the appeal of owning them is in their historical characteristics. If you want to bring modern luxuries, consult with a listed building architect to bring your vision to life.
It would be a very bad idea not to approach a listed building architect for guidance before you submit your application. A Listed Building Consent application requires extensive expertise in heritage properties as well as accurate technical drawings, especially if you are planning a listed building extension.
Most applications require a detailed Heritage Statement and Design & Access Statement. A professional listed building extension architect can articulate exactly how your proposed changes will enhance or protect the historic characteristics of the building. Unless you’re an experienced home remodel architect who’s taken the time to research the building, the application is likely to be rejected without expert help.
What Does it Mean if a Property is in a Conservation Area?
It means that Permitted Development rights are very limited, or removed, meaning that the property will need permissions for building work that other properties wouldn’t face, like changing windows or doors. It doesn’t mean you can’t do this work ever; there’s just an extra step involved before you can begin.
Absolutely, and for the best chance of success, you will likely need an architect firm to advise you and design the project to keep it in line with the characteristics of the area, while giving you the most freedom possible in the design.
In a conservation area, you cannot alter the exterior of your property, like the cladding or roof tiles, demolish structures, or install fixtures without planning permission. Furthermore, you need to let your council know when you plan to prune or remove mature trees of a particular size.
There may be additional restrictions put in place by the local authority, depending on the nature of the area they wish to protect. Therefore, it’s important to check their full list of restrictions to understand the full picture
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Contemporary house extension in a conservation area. This project was not listed.
When a building is both listed and located in a conservation area, you can expect both sets of rules to apply to the property. The rules don’t directly contradict each other, therefore any works permitted under Listed Building Consent would likely gain planning permission without a hitch. Conservation area rules primarily affect the exterior of the property, so additional planning permission wouldn’t be required when changing an interior feature.
Whether listed or situated in a conservation area, Johnson Design Partnership’s experienced and innovative home remodel architects can help you bring modern comforts to a historical home while keeping the protected characteristics of the building intact. Contact us today for a consultation to see how we can help you.
Grade II listed house extensions and glass link in Herefordshire.
