What can you do to a Listed Building?

Just because a building is listed, doesn’t mean you can’t make changes. But you do need consent, and you need to show that the changes need to improve the heritage value of the building.

For example by restoring historic layouts. This grade II listed house had had a first floor reception room chopped up into bedrooms. We got permission to reinstate the space to its former grandeur.

We got Listed Building Consent to restore the first floor drawing room to its original grandeur.

Or restoring features, like this arcade feature, which we opened back up.

We obtained permission to reopen the blocked up archway between the front and middle rooms of this Georgian house.

Improving the aesthetic value too, here of a 1970s extension which marooned this middle room from any windows. We opened up a new arch from the dining room, and continued the arch theme in new windows opening up the view to the sea.

But what you build, has to match what you’ve got permission for, because it’s a criminal matter not to. What can seem like pragmatic decisions can be costly mistakes to put right.  So I’d strongly recommend keeping your architect on board during the build so changes are managed properly.