DO YOU NEED LISTED BUILDING CONSENT
FOR BUILDING WORK?
If you wish to carry out building work for your home or business, there’s a good chance you will need some form of permission before the project begins. Allow AMS SURVEYS to identify what you need, assist with the application, and help you move forward with your plans.
WORDS FROM OUR EXTENSIVE CUSTOMER BASE
WHAT IS LISTED BUILDING CONSENT?
Listed Building Consent is required under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 for any works that alter, extend, or demolish a listed building in ways that affect its character. Altering a listed building without consent is a criminal offence, potentially resulting in fines or prosecution. Planning Permission may also be required, along with Building Regulations depending on the type of work.
Consent is needed for changes like structural alterations or extensions, both inside and out. However, minor repairs that do not affect the building's character, such as maintenance or repair that is like for like, generally do not require consent. However, this should be confirmed by the Local Conservation Officer. This applies to both the interior and exterior of the building, regardless of whether the changes are minor or extensive. The process involves submitting detailed architectural plans and documentation of the proposed changes for approval.
WHAT IS PLANNING PERMISSION?
Put simply, planning permission is the approval or rejection process for building works, granted or denied by the Planning Authorities within your local council. Planning permission determines whether a development can go ahead or not, taking into consideration the appearance of buildings and the impact the development will have on its surroundings. You'll need to provide documents including the existing and proposed drawings (Architectural Designs). There may also be legal or environmental restrictions in place, which would cause Planning Applications to be refused, and local authorities may grant permission subject to certain conditions.
LISTED BUILDINGS AND BUILDING REGULATIONS
Building Regulations lay down the minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to buildings in the UK and are designed to ensure buildings are safe and structurally sound. They also include requirements to ensure that fuel and power are conserved, and access and mobility facilities are provided for people with disabilities. Local Authority Building Control Departments work to ensure that Building Regulations are adhered to and will issue a certificate of compliance to certify that all works are compliant.
Whereas Planning Permission is completely separate as is Listed Building Consent.
LISTED BUILDING CONSENT AND HERITAGE STATEMENTS
In determining applications, local planning authorities require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting to inform the final acceptable design. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance, this is known as a Heritage Statement.
Once Listed Building Consent is granted you may still need to apply for Planning Permission and Building Regulations. Each application is separate and has its own remit. Often Listed Building Consent has Conditions attached such as Historic Building Recording as Heritage Consultants and specialists in defects we can support you with the Architectural Design, Building Surveys such as Damp and Timber, Structural Survey and Structural Calculations and managing the project ensuring you get the right time, cost and quality with our Project Management Service.
HERITAGE PLANNING CONSULTANTS
LISTED BUILDING CONSENT
This is the most common type of Listed Building Consent application. The full details of a development proposal are submitted for consideration, including detailed architectural drawings, heritage statement showing the site and the work you plan to do.
RETROSPECTIVE LISTED BUILDING CONSENT
If you have made a change to your property that requires Listed Building Consent and you have not had approval, a local authority can request that you submit a Retrospective Listed Building Consent for the work that you have already carried out (Note that building work carried out without consent is a Criminal Offence). Although a local authority may ask for an application to be submitted, it does not mean that this will automatically be granted, and the application will be treated in the usual way.
If the Retrospective Listed Building Consent Application is refused, the local authority can issue an enforcement notice which requires you to put things back as they were or comply with a different design.
LISTED BUILDING CONSENT FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES
Planning a home improvement? Projects such as extensions, loft conversions or garage conversions will normally require to be signed off by either the Local Authority Building Control Department or private Approved Inspectors before you commence any work. Failure to so could mean the council demand you revert the property to its former state in the future.
Smaller projects and minor works can often be self-certified by the contractor carrying out the work, provided they are registered to do so on a government approved Competent Person Register. Tradespeople who are registered with a Competent Person Scheme are vetted to ensure they are qualified to carry out work in accordance with the appropriate Building Regulations.
LISTED BUILDING CONSENT SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPERS AND COMMERCIAL CLIENTS
Commercial Listed Building Consent and Planning Permission can be an extremely complex field, and the outcome depends heavily on the type of property you’re looking to change or build. That’s why seeking advice from the professionals is imperative. For the most part, approval will be needed for new builds, large renovations and extensions, and any major structural changes which we’ll happily help you explore.
If you’re developing a commercial space and plan to use the building for a different purpose than was outlined initially, you may need to seek planning permission for a change of use. To identify if this is the case, we can carry out a Pre Application Advice service to access the planning history and ensure that everything is above board going forward.
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