The protection of our historic environment is under reform. There are currently several different lists of historic assets and in addition to changing the way listing is carried out, there are proposals to integrate the records systems. Currently, there are also conservation areas, the Historic Parks and Gardens Register, the Battlefields Register and World Heritage sites.
Listing has an impact on what can be done to a building. From time to time the courts and government point out that listing is not an absolute bar to significant works, but a marker. The reality is that Government policy, planning policy guidance (PPG) 15 and development plan policies impose considerable restrictions on the grant of listed building consent. There is usually a presumption against demolition and the alteration of historic parts is usually circumscribed.
