Just agreed to buy one 😯

Anything I need to know regarding mortgage approvals/valuations and issues around planning consents?

Never too late to pull the deal but quite excited just now 🙂

2 or 2*?

Your council will have a conservation officer. Check the website.

I live in a listed building. Mortgage and valuation was no problem as was insurance. Planning is also not too much hassle. Internal works and those that don't alter the external appearance of the building should be no real issue unless its A listed.

Mine is also in a conservation area which complicates things further. The only thing I have had problems with from that point of view is that I wanted to put 3 skylights in and had an argument to get what I wanted – and ended up with smaller windows that I had hoped for.

Further to what TJ says, it can also depend on why the property is Listed because it may be on the Schedule because of internal features.

You will need to obtain Listed Building Consent for any works to either the house or any structure within its curtilage and this may include boundary walls. Trees within the curtilage will be protected.

Having said that, obtaining Listed Building Consent shouldn't cause too much problem as long as you consult and take onboard what the Conservation Officer has to say.

From my chattings with the local council, they seem to be very pleased with the idea of someone living in/using a building and just want to be consulted before you start making grand plans, so they can work with you to maintain features while letting you live as you want to.

There are some innovative ways of funding the upkeep of listed structures.

One good example is

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8231276.stm

thanks all some useful info. I'll be looking to build an extension on the back of the building, the thing is that the extension will be attached to another entension that was built in the sixties and won't encroach at all on the old bit of the house. So reading between the lines I should be ok with that?

We mainly work on them for a major client of ours who like their shops in the decrepit hulks that they sometimes are.

Depending on the conservation officer they can/needn't be a pain in the ass.

It's all character though… innit!

Owning a listed building shouldn't be a problem, however you must be aware that unless otherwise stated the listing will cover the entire building – even the more recent bits, and any material changes will require listed building consent.
However, on the whole Conservation Officers are pretty reasonable people and understand that sometimes other people might want to change a building for their own reasons. What you must understand is that they are employed to ensure that damage isn't made to a listed building, and that any changes are agreed beforehand.
Don't pile in and tell them that you're just going to damn well do this (whatever it is), but show that you understand why it had been listed and that you're respectfull of it – this doesn't mean that you can't do modern or quite substantial changes to it, just that you must have them agreed beforehand.

I've not found it a problem, lived/mortgaged a grade 2 listed building for the last 15 years. Buildings insurance can be a little problematic if trying to go with the big online discount insurers. I have buildings cover with my mortgage company, which was Woolwich now Barclay's, contents with M&S for it's bikey qualities mainly.

Live in it for a while before undertaking work, understand the building. The approach to extensions isn't about faking something new to match the existing anymore, more using quality local handmade materials, and producing something that is quality and will be judged as that over time.

If you're into it go for it, if you're trying to return a development profit – maybe think again.