Planning advice, architectural drawings and heritage evidence for changes to listed buildings.
Listed Building Consent assesses how proposed works affect a building’s special architectural or historic interest. Our Chartered Town Planners and architectural team help you understand the requirements, develop a sensitive proposal and manage the application through to a decision.
Consent may be needed for alterations to historic layouts, windows, doors, roofs and other features, as well as extensions or demolition. Internal work can be just as sensitive as changes to the outside.
The scale of the work alone does not determine whether consent is required. Check the proposal before starting.
Some repairs may not require consent, but calling work “like-for-like” does not settle the question. Materials, methods and the effect on historic fabric all matter.
Send us photographs, the property address and a description of the proposed work so we can advise on the next step.
Advice on your application route.
Coordinated drawings and evidence.
Attention to the building’s significance.
An agreed package for your project.
A listed building and a conservation area have different protections. We establish which controls apply to the property and the work you propose. The process and fee information below relates to England; requirements elsewhere need to be checked for the relevant jurisdiction.
The assessment focuses on the building’s special interest and the impact of the proposed works. Protection can extend beyond the features mentioned in a list description, including internal fabric.
A project may also need planning permission. This considers wider matters such as design, neighbours and the use of the property. One approval does not replace the other.
An unlisted building in a conservation area is not automatically a listed building. Planning controls, including any Article 4 direction, must be checked. In England, relevant demolition is dealt with through planning permission rather than the former separate conservation area consent.
Historic structures within the grounds may also be protected. Their age, relationship to the listed building and legal status need assessment; not every outbuilding is automatically covered.
Identify the features that make the building significant before deciding what to alter.
Explore materials, details and alternatives that respond to the building and your brief.
Coordinate heritage consent with planning and any technical approvals needed.
Explain the existing building, proposed changes and their heritage impact clearly.
Allow for surveys, consultation, revisions and any conditions before works begin.
Resolve consent questions early instead of relying on assumptions about what is allowed.
We review your brief, listing information, planning history and local constraints. We assess feasibility and whether Listed Building Consent, planning permission or both may be needed.
We use relevant records, historic maps, photographs and existing drawings to establish a heritage baseline. Where the evidence is insufficient, we identify any site investigation or specialist input needed.
Our team prepares the agreed existing and proposed drawings and supporting statements, explaining the building’s significance and the effect of the proposed work.
Following your approval, we prepare and submit the application, respond to validation queries and liaise with the council and conservation officer. Revisions or additional information may be requested.
We explain the decision and any conditions. If further approvals, amendments, a revised proposal or an appeal are needed, we discuss the appropriate route and additional scope.
We agree the scope before starting, based on the building, proposed works and council requirements.
Existing and proposed floor plans, elevations, sections, location and block plans, plus detailed drawings where the proposed intervention requires them.
A heritage statement or impact assessment proportionate to the proposal, together with other supporting planning documents identified for your application.
The relevant forms, supporting documents and submission, with your approval. Any additional surveys or third-party reports are identified separately.
Liaison with the case officer, responses to queries and communication of the decision. Your quotation explains the included work and any limits on revisions.
Understand the consent route, key heritage constraints, likely supporting information and scope of professional work before committing to a full application.
The appraisal fee is deducted from your subsequent quote or invoice, including when you proceed with drawings only.
Preparation: allow time for records, drawings, heritage evidence, your feedback and any surveys. We confirm our delivery programme for the agreed scope; fast-track preparation may be available.
Council stage: the usual target for Listed Building Consent in England is eight weeks from validation, or 13 weeks for major proposals. Requests for information, consultation and agreed extensions can lengthen the process.
Our preparation timetable does not guarantee a council decision date. Check pre-commencement conditions before scheduling work.
Application fee: there is no statutory fee for a Listed Building Consent application in England. Separate planning applications may carry a fee.
Professional work: drawings, heritage evidence, surveys and application management depend on the proposal. We set out the services and any third-party costs in your quotation.
Our Price Match Guarantee applies to like-for-like quotations. The calculator gives an initial indication for common projects; contact us for a heritage-specific scope.
Carrying out works that require Listed Building Consent without it is a criminal offence. Enforcement can require the work to be reversed. If works have already started, seek advice promptly; a later application does not automatically resolve the consequences.
The local planning authority makes the decision. We can assess the issues, prepare evidence and discuss amendments, but cannot promise consent. Approval may also include conditions requiring details to be agreed before particular works begin.
Explore the existing project documents below for an example of the drawings and supporting information used for a listed-building proposal. Each application needs evidence tailored to its own building and works.
The proposal involved changing the layout of a ground-floor flat, including walls between the kitchen and reception room and between the bathroom and WC.
Planning By Design prepared drawings and heritage and planning evidence following an appraisal. The council granted Listed Building Consent for the proposed internal alterations.
Our planning and architectural teams coordinate the proposal, drawings and supporting information.
We consider the significance of your property and the details of the changes you want to make.
We explain the application stages, queries and decisions so you understand what happens next.
Know which services are included and where additional surveys or specialist advice may be required.
Our portfolio includes approved listed-building projects, with evidence of the work undertaken.
We will beat a like-for-like quotation under our Price Match Guarantee.
Works affecting the special architectural or historic interest of a listed building may need consent. This can include internal alterations as well as external changes. Check the specific proposal with the local planning authority before starting.
Listing can protect internal features and fabric, not just the façade. A feature does not have to be named in the list description to be relevant to the consent assessment.
No blanket assumption is safe. The extent of replacement, materials and methods can affect whether work requires consent. Get advice on the actual specification before commissioning it.
Possibly. Listed Building Consent and planning permission assess different matters. Extensions, changes of use and other development may require both, while Building Regulations may apply separately.
Not automatically. The answer depends on the building, the proposed changes and any restrictions such as an Article 4 direction. If the building is listed, the Listed Building Consent requirements must also be considered.
The usual council target in England is eight weeks from validation, or 13 weeks for major proposals. Preparation happens before that period, and consultation, additional information or agreed extensions can add time. Confirm the programme for your project.
There is no statutory application fee in England. Professional drawings, heritage evidence, surveys and other services still have costs, and a separate planning application may carry its own fee.
It explains the significance of the heritage asset, the proposed changes and their impact. The detail should be proportionate to the building and proposal and address the information needed to assess the application.
Get professional advice promptly. Unauthorised works requiring consent can lead to prosecution or enforcement. Do not assume that applying afterwards removes any liability or guarantees permission to retain the work.
Send the property address, photographs, your proposed changes, existing drawings and any previous permissions or council correspondence. Include the listing entry if you have it and tell us whether any work has started.
Planning updates, guidance and answers from Planning By Design.
Tell us what you want to change and share the details of your property. We will help you understand the next steps and the support your project needs.
