Property section.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2021 15:12 Page 80
MendiP TiMes
Living history – advice on listed buildings
THE team at Manor & Hall are particularly passionate about period properties and that will often mean listed buildings, of which they have extensive knowledge. When buying or selling a listed property, there are a few things they say you should consider. Owning a historic building is a truly wonderful thing; however, it is important to understand that you can never truly own a listed building because, as a heritage asset, it belongs to everyone and you cannot necessarily do as you wish with it. There are over half a million listed buildings in England, broken down into three categories: Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II. Grade I listed buildings are dealt with by Historic England, Grade II* and Grade II are dealt with by the local authority planning and conservation departments on their behalf. There is a common misconception with listed buildings that it’s “just the front elevation” or “just the outside” which is covered by the listing. This is entirely incorrect; all listed buildings, irrespective of their grade, are protected inside and out, including all permanent structures within the curtilage (land attached to the property). The purpose of listing is not to “freeze a building in time” but simply to protect the special characteristics which make it worthy of being listed. While any works to the structure will
likely require listed building consent, decorative and minor maintenance works would generally not. It’s worth engaging the services of a surveyor with experience of listed buildings when purchasing your new home. The structure will be very different to that of a modern house! You will also need to ensure that your insurance company have an accurate rebuild figure as this is very likely to exceed the purchase price. Should you be planning to undertake any major works to your home, Manor & Hall would recommend seeking guidance from your conservation officer at the outset to ascertain what is likely to be acceptable. Like you, your conservation officer will be passionate about your home and you will need to work together to safeguard its future.
if you have any questions or concerns regarding listed properties, please contact ryan at the Manor and Hall office in doulting; he has extensive experience of developing listed buildings. you can search the listed building list at: www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/
Page 80 • MendiP TiMes • OcTOber 2021
