Conversions & Listed Buildings

Listing helps us acknowledge and understand our shared history.  It marks and celebrates a building's special architectural and historic interest, and also brings it under the consideration of the planning system so that some thought will be taken about its future.

• Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important. Just 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I.

• Grade II* buildings are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. 5.5% of listed buildings are Grade II*.

• Grade II buildings are nationally important and of special interest. 92% of all listed buildings are in this class and it is the most likely grade of listing for a home owner.

All buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition are listed, as are most of those built between 1700 and 1840. The criteria become tighter with time, so that post-1945 buildings have to be exceptionally important to be listed. A building has normally to be over 30 years old to be eligible for listing.

When dealing with listed buildings they need to be approached in a sensitive and sympathetic manner. They have been listed for a reason and they are normally of architectural and/or historic interest.