Unlisting a listed property.

misterhyde

I have just moved into a grade 2 listed terrace house. I purchased knowing it was listed, however never realised just how bad the energy efficiency really is, I'm talking medieval.

I've tried to find out exactly what makes this "dwelling" listed, and no organisation can shine a light on it. The council have no idea, only that some bright spark in 1978 deemed it of importance, and The English Heritage are also none the wiser.

Now, if someone can explain to me, and prove to me, the importance of my property, I am more than happy to embrace it and to maintain it appropriately. But as there is nothing - no beams, brickwork, architectural breakthroughs, historic significance, nothing, that justifies it's listed grading, why should I continue to live in the dark ages.

Can someone please advise me what I can do to de list it, and what is the possibility of success.

Pixie5740

Have you seen this?

https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/guidance-de-listing-building/

Callie22

De-listing is apparently very difficult. My parents are struggling with this at the moment as somehow part of their property has been listed 'accidentally' - the next door property was listed in the early 80s and a mistake was made on the documents and an adjoining part of my parents' house was included on the official listing documents. They only found this out fairly recently when applying for planning permission and it's been something of a nightmare as it's such an odd situation. The Local Authority and Historic England have been very unhelpful.

In terms of your house, it's quite possible that there's 'nothing' special about it. From what my parents have found out, it seems that back in the 70s and 80s there was a real drive in some places to get lots of buildings listed - at one point some local Councils were offering quite generous grants to owners of listed properties for renovation and maintenance. Then the grants stopped, and the result is that there are now quite a lot of very ordinary properties that are Grade II listed with all of the additional costs that can bring. This is certainly the case with the house next door to my parents - it's an old, but fairly ordinary terrace and the owner bought it hoping to benefit from the grants, which stopped before he could claim them. As a result the house is falling apart as he can't afford to do the work to the necessary standard.

Penelope_Penguin

We have moved into a listed barn conversion. The previous owner had inserted plastic windows. However, she had died and the property was being sold by her children.

We spoke to the local conservation officer, at the council, who said that delisting was a possibility in this case. We have decided not to go down that route just now, but the council officers have been very helpful

Find out who your conservation officer is and make them your friend - ask them over to the property, bake a cake, and see what they say.

Fuzzyness

de-listing is possible but it's not an easy process as others have said above. you can try and do it yourself or you could engage a specialist heritage and historic building consultant. they would be able to advise why your building isnt of any historic merit and make the case to Historic England as to why the property should be removed from the list. no idea of cost i'm afraid but worth exploring.

AdrianC

misterhyde wrote: »

I have just moved into a grade 2 listed terrace house. I purchased knowing it was listed, however never realised just how bad the energy efficiency really is, I'm talking medieval.

I doubt you are. I suspect you're talking Victorian standards of energy efficiency, perhaps even as recent as the 1970s. Things have moved on VERY quickly in recent years.

I've tried to find out exactly what makes this "dwelling" listed, and no organisation can shine a light on it. The council have no idea, only that some bright spark in 1978 deemed it of importance, and The English Heritage are also none the wiser.

Have you actually checked the register?
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/
It will tell you EXACTLY what is and is not listed with your property. There should be no problem upgrading non-listed components of the property.

Now, if someone can explain to me, and prove to me, the importance of my property, I am more than happy to embrace it and to maintain it appropriately. But as there is nothing - no beams, brickwork, architectural breakthroughs, historic significance, nothing, that justifies it's listed grading, why should I continue to live in the dark ages.

Just as a reminder, you have recently bought this place in the full knowledge it was listed, and with all of the same information available to you before purchase as after as to the implications of that listing. Listing is intended to protect older buildings from unsympathetic owners who do not appear to understand why their older buildings are special.

paddy's_mum

AdrianC wrote: »

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/

That link is so useful and I've already spent a happy half hour looking at the places in my area that I didn't realise had such historic beginnings. Thank you.

whizzybee

If you really want to go to the trouble of delisting, then it probably would be best to get an expert in historic buildings to give you some advice. You are going to need evidence base and a strong case for delisting and no, their advice will probably not come cheap. Otherwise, do plenty of research and Pixie has provided a link to the guidance document. By the way, it can take 20 weeks (according to their guidance) and I'm guessing that is if you have everything prepared. I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of Historic England's guidance but if you do want to do any work, then you will have to talk to them. The guidance says:

Historic England would be unlikely to carry out an assessment for de-listing if works are imminent, underway, or Listed Building Consent has been applied for or granted, unless a decision on de-listing would be helpful to inform the Listed Building Consent process

So depending on what you were planning on doing, you might not be able to do anything until, and if, it is delisted.

On the other hand, it is not the end of the world having a listed property. There is guidance on making historic properties energy efficient and how to look after it. As it is Grade II, there is more flexibility in terms of interior changes and Historic England are not completely draconian when it comes to this, they want listed properties to be maintained and used.

https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/energy-efficiency-and-historic-buildings/ this one for example

Moneybagsss

Did you get your teeth fixed?