England’s rich architectural heritage offers a unique blend of historic buildings, with each demonstrating the preservation of place. For property developers, these buildings present both a challenge and an opportunity. As an existing older building stock, there are an estimated 370,000 listed buildings across England and to ensure their future use, retrofitting is often required.
Retrofitting historic buildings is therefore not just about preserving character but also about enhancing their functionality to meet modern efficiency standards. However, retrofitting within the historic environment comes with its own considerations where bespoke solutions are often required to balance preservation and modernisation.
Retrofitting – What is Allowed?
Historic buildings represent a unique building stock which require bespoke approaches, where there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer. Instead, proposed alterations must consider the character and features of a historic building and respond sensitively to what is present, ensuring that the significance of the asset is not lost through the proposed works.
Retrofitting historic buildings therefore often requires planning permission or listed building consent, depending on the type and extent of the work. Here’s what you need to know:
- Listed Building Consent: If the building is listed, any work that affects its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will require listed building consent. This includes alterations to windows, doors, and internal features.
- Planning Permission: Even if a building is not listed, if it is in a conservation area, you may need planning permission for external alterations such as installing solar panels or changing windows.
- Consultation with Authorities: Early consultation with local planning authorities and Historic England is often useful, as they can offer guidance on what is likely to be approved and help streamline the application process.
The Shifting Approach to Retrofitting
Historic England has recently published a new advice note: Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency which intends to clarify key considerations and promote consistent decision-making in the context of the global climate emergency.
The note demonstrates a rapidly increasing acceptance of sensitively adapting historic buildings to reduce carbon emissions. Of particular note, is a greater acceptance of double-glazed windows, solar panels and internal insulation where is does not harm the significance of the building.
The National Planning Policy Framework also demonstrates a lean towards energy retrofits, with Paragraph 194 stating that ‘in determining planning applications, local planning authorities should give significant weight to the need to support energy efficiency and low carbon heating improvements to existing buildings’.
This change in narrative offers greater scope for retrofitting works going forward and is a positive step to securing a balanced approach to heritage planning.
Overall, retrofitting historic buildings in England is a complex process that requires an expert understanding of how to balance modernisation with preservation. At Planning & Design Practice, we are well-equipped to offer expert guidance and advice to ensure the continued use of such heritage assets, as our in house heritage planning and architecture specialists having a breadth of experience securing planning permission for historic building retrofits.
We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. We have the expertise and specialist knowledge to achieve success with your project regardless of its size. We use our experience to provide the right level of detail to accompany applications for planning permission and Listed Building consent.
For more information, or to discuss your project or property please contact us on 01332 347371 or email enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk
Mollie Arif, Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
