A Guide to Grade 2 Listed Restrictions

It’s fair to say that here in the UK, we’re home to some of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

From stunning churches to beautifully decorated commercial properties, if you take a walk through any city, town or village in the country it is likely you will come across a whole host of ornate and magnificent structures.

Not only do such buildings look fantastic, but often they reflect our nation’s proud heritage, culture and history.

With this in mind, it is quite right that the government and local authorities have certain laws and legislation in place to protect such buildings.

Since 1882 the UK has had some form of act in place to protect ancient sites and cultural hotspots, but the state was originally reluctant to dictate to homeowners what they can and can’t do to their own home.

Nevertheless, in 1990 the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act was introduced by parliament which categorised certain properties within the listed building system. This means that owners are not allowed to make any changes they like, and may need to apply for permission (known as building consent) to do so.

In this article, we’re going to focus on Grade 2 listed buildings, outlining the restrictions you need to be aware of and how to apply fo consent for works.

Read on to find out more.

What Is A Grade 2 Listed Building?

First, let’s establish what a Grade 2 listed building actually is.

In the UK, we have listed a building system that outlines properties of ‘special architectural interest’. The government or your local authority can list such buildings and this essentially means that they are deemed to be historic or of a certain heritage that requires them to be treated differently when it comes to repairs and alterations.

When a building is listed, it will fall into one of three categories:

Grade 1 buildings: Buildings of exceptional interest. These are very rare and only 2.5% of all listed buildings will be in this category.
Grade 2* listed buildings: These buildings are particularly important of more than just special interest. However, they’re still fairly rare and make up around 5.8% of listed buildings.
Grade 2 listed buildings: The most common type of listed building, this category is for buildings of special interest that warrant preservation efforts. Almost every listed building in the country is a Grade 2 listed building which is why we are going to focus on Grade 2 listing restrictions in this article.

All of the UK’s devolved nations have a similar listing system with Scotland and Northern Ireland using A, B and C as categories rather than numbers. However, they all ultimately mean the same thing and similar restrictions apply.

Currently, Historic England predicts there are more than 400,000 listed buildings in the UK and as well as public buildings it also covers residential properties. This means that it is normal for homeowners to reside within a listed building.

Usually, the older the building is the greater the chance that it is listed. For example, all buildings built before 1700 and that retain original features are listed. Likewise, the majority of properties built between 1700 and 1850 are listed.

While age is not the only factor (some buildings built in the 1990s are listed), if you live in a particularly old property you should check if it is listed before doing any renovations.

This is because you will almost certainly require listed building consent to make even minor changes to your property.

While it may seem frustrating and unfair to require permission to work on your own home, it’s worth remembering that you are considered only to be a temporary custodian of a piece of English heritage when living in a listed building.

What Is Listed Building Consent?

Listed building consent is the permission you require to make changes to a listed building. As mentioned above, there are strict rules regarding what can and cannot be done to a listed building and it is essential that permission is properly applied for and granted before any work is conducted.

Usually, you’ll need this permission for any work that is changing the building’s character or appearance but it’s always best to check whether what you have in mind requires consent before proceeding. In any case, if you are hiring professionals to do the work they will not begin until this consent is in place.

If you do not seek listed building consent or ignore the recommendations you’re given, you will be breaking the law. Not only will your local council order the work to be reversed, but you will face criminal penalties which can include fines and even a prison sentence.

Grade 2 Listed Restrictions

There are several Grade 2 listed restrictions that you should be aware of before starting work on a property.

However, let’s quickly take a look at some of the things you are allowed to do without listed building consent.

Typically, you will not require consent for general maintenance or minor repairs.

This will include things like:

Painting interior walls
Replacing modern fittings in a kitchen
Small window repairs

However, anything that can be categorised as a ‘material change’ must not be done without consent. This can even include seemingly minor changes like changing the colour of your front door or replacing external window frames.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that no two local authorities are the same. It is not uncommon for one to allow work and another to not allow work for exactly the same thing.

With this in mind, you should always make the effort to check first before proceeding. You don’t want to end up with a fine or the hassle of having to reverse the work in the future.

Grade 2 Listed Building Restrictions

As previously stated, any ‘material changes’ that you are planning on making to your Grade 2 listed building will always require listed building consent.

This includes:

Replacing windows and doors: Even if you intend to replace doors or windows with exact replicas made from the same materials and that feature the same finish, permission will still be required. Likewise, if you want to double-glaze your windows you will always need permission but it is likely to be granted if it is secondary glazing.

Painting an outside wall: Yes, you even need to get consent to simply paint any of your property’s outside walls. This will especially be the case if the wall has never been painted before, you want to paint it a new colour or are planning on changing the appearance in any other way.

Roof repairs or replacement: If you are using exactly the same materials for the roof covering or tiles you may not need consent, but you certainly will if you want to change the roof timber, structure or alter the appearance in any way. If the building has a thatched roof and you want to change it to tiles or even a different thatch type then you will also need consent.

Adding a satellite dish: If you need to add a satellite dish to access satellite TV, you will need consent before it is installed.

Building an extension: If you are looking to build an extension, add a porch or erect a conservatory then you will require consent and also likely need to acquire planning permission.

Fences, gates and new walls: If you want to build a new fence, gate or wall that is in any way attached to the property then you need consent.

Exposed brickwork: Exposed brick is an attractive design choice but if you want to do this at your Grade 2 listed home then consent is needed.

Garden rooms: Grade 2 listed garden restrictions apply, and adding new structures to your outdoor space, like a garden room, will need consent.

Adding solar panels: While great for the environment, all listed buildings will need consent for solar panels to be installed as it can cause irreversible damage to the building’s original materials.

Installing a new bathroom: While you can add a new bathroom to your Grade 2 listed property you will almost certainly need consent as this will involve using different materials and changing the original appearance of the room.

What Can You Never Do To A Grade 2 Listed Building?

While all of the things listed above may be approved when you seek consent, there are some works that can never be done to Grade 2 listed buildings.

This includes:

Removing architectural features: like fireplaces, panelling, decorative stones and more.
Adding pipes, flues or alarm boxes to the front of the property
Removing boundary walls or gates
Repointing using incorrect materials: Most Grade 2 listed buildings use lime mortar and so this should never be replaced with other materials like hard cement mortar.
Removing chimney stacks or pots
Painting or rendering stonework

Modern materials are almost never allowed to be used on the exterior of the property but you may be able to use it inside with the correct consent.