Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas

How The Buildings Are Chosen

The Secretary of State for the Environment is required to compile lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest for the guidance of local planning authorities.

The principles of selection for listed buildings were originally drawn up by an expert committee of architects, antiquarians and historians, and are still followed. Buildings that qualify for listing are:

(a) All buildings before 1700, which survive in anything, like their original condition.

(b) Most buildings between 1700 and 1840, though selection is necessary, and

(c) Between 1840 and 1914 only buildings of definite quality and character; the selection being designed to include the principal works of the principal architects. Selected buildings of 1914 to 1939 are also considered.

In choosing buildings, particular attention is paid to:

Special value within certain types, either for architectural or planning reasons or as illustrating social and economic history (for instance, industrial buildings, railway stations, schools, hospitals, theatres, town halls, markets, exchanges, almshouses, prisons, lock-ups, mills).

Technological innovation or virtuosity (for instance, cast iron, prefabrication or the early use of concrete).

Group value, especially as examples of town planning (for instance, squares, terraces or model villages).

Association with well known characters or events.

A survey is carried out by the Department's 1nspectors of Historic Buildings, for each local authority area, and buildings are classified in grades to show their relative importance.

Grade 1. These are buildings of exceptional interest (less than 5 per cent of the listed buildings so far are in this grade).

Grade 2. These are buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made to preserve them. (Some particularly important buildings in Grade 2 are classified as Grade 2*).

Listed Buildings

A listed building is a building or structure of special architectural or historic interest included in a list compiled by the Secretary of State for the Environment and issued (by him) for guidance - see criteria for listing.

Under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, an application for listed building consent must be made to the Local Planning Authority before carrying out any work for the demolition, extension, or alteration of a listed building in any manner which would affect its character (including work to the interior). Application for listed building consent to demolish or carry out works affecting Grade 1 and 11* buildings must be referred to the Secretary of State for determination.

Carrying out unauthorised works is an offence subject to heavy penalties, and local authority can issue an Enforcement Notice to require reinstatement of the building to its original condition. Similarly, the local authority may serve a Repairs Notice on the owners of neglected or unoccupied listed buildings and either carry out the repairs themselves, reclaiming the costs from the owner or compulsorily acquire the building and its immediate curtilage.

Conservation Area

Madeley Conservation Map
Permission Granted by Newcastle-u-Lyme Borough Council for Inclusion.

Conservation Area Boundary Indicated by the Thicker Line

A conservation area is "an area of architectural or historical interest the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance" (Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 Section 277). Conservation areas usually comprise groups of historic buildings and/or areas of attractive landscape. They can be large or small and may range from a whole town to a small square or village green.

Designation seeks to preserve and enhance the character of the area as a whole through imposing additional controls over demolition, development, advertisements and the protection of trees. The local planning authority must be given 6 weeks prior written notice of any works proposed to trees in a conservation area.

Scheduled Ancient Monuments

Scheduled ancient monuments are buildings or other structures scheduled under the

Ancient Monuments Acts. They are usually unoccupied.

By definition an ancient monument may be any building, structure or work (above or below ground), any cave or excavation, or the remains thereof; also included are sites comprising vehicles, vessels or aircraft. A schedule of such monuments is drawn up and maintained by the Secretary of State for the Environment.

As "protected monuments" it is a criminal offence to cause damage to a scheduled ancient monument as it is to use a metal detector on a monument without consent and/or remove objects from a monument as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act, 1979.

It should be noted that most scheduled ancient monuments in the Borough are on privately owned land. Visitors should, therefore, take care not to trespass.