Me & the missus are interested in a cottage which is grade 2 listed . Does anyone know how restricted you are in altering things ? I’m sure that it affects the buiding internally as well as externally ( the bloke who showed us round was useless !) .Externally i think it wouldn’t bother us , but internally might cause a problem .

Go and talk to the conservation officer.
Some are cool – others are the worst jobsworths you will have have the displeasure of dealing with.
As an example – a lovely cottage built in 1712, few add-ons over the years, etc.
Officer was happy for 11 – yes 11 fireplaces to be removed during the renovation to expose the original inglenooks.(one had 7 of the 11 fireplaces on top of each other) BUT 3 pieces of rebar stuck in a window during the 70’s BEFORE the listing had to stay. Work that one out….
Fortunately another officer was a little more realistic about things and the bars went. Had to or the new window frames the first one demanded couldn’t be fitted anyway!

Bloody hell … it’s daft stuff like this i’m afraid of . Thanks for the advice though , that seems the best place to start .
Cheers

A relative used to live in a Grade II listed ex-church. Basically they could alter anything other than the bits that made it ‘special’ or ‘significant’ which depends on the property and how it’s been assessed

We looked an old meeting house that was Grade II. The planners said they wanted to see the building used and maintained, not left to ruin. Certain original features had to be left untouched but it was mentioned we could hide them- eg. box over a fireplace. We could even get permission to move the headstones…

hammyuk – Member
Go and talk to the conservation officer.

This!
I had a GII listed cottage in Ironbridge, couldn’t even change the windows for decent double glazing because of conservation orders.. (this was back in the early 90’s BTW)

I could go on..

But then I cheated some of the rules and had some changes made without permission, just like next door and the one across the road etc. You couldn’t tell the windows were replacements either, just looked like they had a new coat of paint on.
As for the coal bunker that was falling down, well that got altered and I got a letter from the conservation officer asking I replace the new roof of it with the old one.. Yeah Riiiight.

Just a few tales to make you think before acting.

It’s taken us long enough (and plenty of expenditure/hassle) to get planning through for a non-listed building renovation/Granny-Annex that I’d suggest you ensure you budget ‘adequately’…

as lovely as it might sound to live in a listed building I’d rather let someone else be the custodian of the nations heritage. I think you really need an interest in old buildings beyond just wanting a house. If you do buy it don’t be an arse and speak to the conservation officer. Worth noting that listed buildings consent is in addition to normal planning and sanctions can include criminal prosecutions if you smash the good bits up

I managed several Grade 1, 2* and 2 listed buildings for a number of years. I always found the local conservation officers & English Heritage regional bods really helpful, they were good for advice and sources of grant funding for work. Maybe we were lucky in our area, and I guess it wasn’t my money/property so didn’t feel the pressure etc
I think the thing to do is find the listing details to get a real understanding why it was listed, what the important features are and so on – might help appreciate the building more if you are the custodian & why decisions are made when it comes to alterations – often trying to stop a slippery slope where change upon change eventually loses all that’s important.
The only time I thought decisons were a bit silly was when I applied for consent to change some horrible 1950’s Crittal windows back to original leaded lights and wasn’t allowed to as the Crittal windows were now seen as part of the ‘history and evolution’ of the building.
Having a listed building can affect planning applications for things like outbuildings/extensions attached to it or in the vicinity, worth bearing in mind.

bikebouy – Member

I had a GII listed cottage in Ironbridge, couldn’t even change the windows for decent double glazing because of conservation orders

I live in a late 16th century GII listed “manor house” and if you completely removed the window I’m sat in front of I doubt I would notice any increase in noise.
Living in a town centre if I didn’t work such late hours (avoiding most of the associated noise) I would move.

Massive PITA.

On the other hand it’s soooooooo pretty. 🙂

Definitely need to get in touch with the conservation office then . It’s been on the market for quite a while ….maybe this is the way to find out why !
Thanks all again for your help .

There is a school of thought that what they don’t see won’t hurt, but I wouldn’t start dramatically altering layouts etc. I’ve put up a couple of partition walls (easily removed), and skimmed over some 70’s artex, but I wouldn’t knock through and make it open plan for example.

Once stayed at a listed farmhouse in Devon.

In the 60s, the council gave a grant to the farmer to replace the thatched roof with asbestos tiles. In the 70s it got listed. That’s right, including the asbestos tiles…..

Does depend how pragmatic the local enforcers are, from other experience.

Well i did hear that some planners can be quite open about what you want to do , whereas others can be quite arsey . Externally there’s a window which would be so much better if it was a little larger , but it’s not a deal breaker . Internally though there’s a daft part partition wall that could do with removing + a few other bits & pieces that need looking at .
I’m going to email them later ( there’s a combi boiler & c/heating fitted so it can’t be that bad ?).

Had a GII listed house in Ashburton – usual stuff about windows, external appearance etc. but significantly an internal staircase between kitchen and bedroom was listed and couldn’t be touched. Bear in mind that for any alteration not only will you need planning consent but also Listed Building Consent which can be a real PITA!

As others said you need to speak to the conservation officer, if they are a dick walk away. Also bear in mind if you want to change anything significant you will need building control and the conservation officer to agree, and if either are ‘difficult’ you can end up in the impossible situation where you have to choose between building control approving the work or a huge fine from the conservation officer.

Lived in 1 for 20 years, now in another. Managed to do a fair amount.
Depends on how the listing is written and your local conservation officers.
At G2 the external appearance and key internal historic features are the most important. You used to be able to get VAT off G2 building alterations but I think that’s gone…