Listed property or not? Please help.

Likeadeal_2

Buying property built in 1600's and seen on internet that any pre 1700 property is automatically listed.
Vendor and agent say it is not listed.
As it needs a lot of internal alteration to make it liveable I am worried that after I've bought it I will find I cannot do the alterations as the planning dept may say no.
Please can anyone help?
Thankyou

Doozergirl

:j Oh wow! :j

When I bought our listed cottage, I was able to somehow access the register and actually see the listing for the property. But now there is something called 'Images of England' which features photgraphs of all the listed buildings in the country, taken in 2001 and details of the listing! It's here:

http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/

I just typed the village name into the quick search box and it came up with pictures of all the listed buildings, including ours pre-TLC, so you can check to see if there is a photo of the house you want to buy.

Thanks for asking this question because I didn't have a 'before' picture of our house. :cool:

Ian_W

Alternatively ring your local council. The Planning Dept [or similar] should have a listed buildings officer [or similar!!] who should be able to tell you for certain.
Does sound like it should be though, I've read something similar - all building before a certain date are automatically listed.

Doozergirl

I meant to say that too, Ian W, but was too excited Here's my old house!
http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=1&id=156590

I can't resist. Here it is when we were selling
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c249/doozergirl/52HighStreetAfter.jpg

My little girl was born in the living room! :happyhear

pawpurrs

Thats a lovely house doozer.

Likeadeal_2

Hi,
yes lovely house.
Thanks for your help, i have been on the site and no sign of the one i'm buying though loads of others in the same area.

After reading Ians post i also rang the council and they confirmed it was not listed and i asked if i can remove staircase and knock thru to other bedrooms and they said no problem as long as done to building regs.
So i feel much better now, as without being able to alter the inside it will not be the house we are hoping for.
I must admit i was in a real panic last night.
Thanks both of you it really helped me to think straight and sort my worries out without alerting sol or worrying vendor.
Likeadeal

Ian_W

I don't think it can have been built as early as you think, or it's changed substantially:
The older a building is, the more likely it is to be listed. All buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition are listed, as are most built between 1700 and 1840. After that date, the criteria become tighter with time, so that post-1945 buildings have to be exceptionally important to be listed.
https://www.heritage.co.uk/apavilions/glstb.html

Anyway, hope all goes well and you enjoy it - post the alteration.

Doozer - seen your former house before, it's still just as lovely. Surprised when you hubby said, the house goes or I do that you sold!! Must be true luv!! :kisses3:

Murdina

Our house in its core is pretty definitely pre 1700 and I was like you concerned about whether it was listed as I had read what you refer to. My guess is that past and unsympathetic alterations may have been the reason it was never listed. It has had planning permission three times in recent years so no question that planning authorities are aware of it.
Do appreciate though that no system is infallible and not every house that could be is listed. Family members live in a classic beautiful pre 1700 cottage which was only very recently listed. You might sound out the planners as to whether or not they have ever considered the house for listing eg if planning has been sought in recent years.

Doozergirl

Ian_W wrote:

Must be true luv!! :kisses3:

Thanks for the definitive answer on that one! I do wonder sometimes. :rolleyes:

But then when he dresses up as Scooby Doo, like today, then I know why I married him! :rotfl: He has to go out in public on Saturday!

EDIT: Maybe I wouldn't have moved if it had a driveway!

Likeadeal_2

Thanks Murdina,
I will ring the council again as it has a small extension downstairs consisting of a bathroom (none upstairs at present) It was probably done 20 years ago and also a modern garage so I need to know if planning was obtained and I can ask them for more info on it etc.
Likeadeal

Doozergirl

FYI, certainly in the case of a grade II listing, there is importance in showing how a property evolves over time. Later additions to the original building can be just as important for preserving history.

Saying that, we were able to remove virtually all evidence of the twentieth century having occured in our house. But there is very much still evidence of the 16th, 18th, 19th and 21st