Last edited 20 Nov 2020

Listed building consent order

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 amended the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 in relation to listed buildings consent orders.

A Listed Building Consent Order (LBCO) may be granted by the Secretary of State for certain types of works for the alteration or extension (but not demolition) of listed buildings in England. The benefit of the order is that the owner of the listed building does not need to submit repeated applications for works that are covered by the order.

Listed Building Consent Orders can be applied nationally for routine works to similar groups of buildings or structures which are located within more than one local planning authority, negating the requirement for multiple applications for listed building consent.

This should save time, money and resources. Organisations with large portfolios of listed buildings of a similar type with national distribution, subject to routine and repetitive works of repair or maintenance might make an application for an order to be made.

A formal application process has not yet been finalised by the government. The Canal and River Trust are currently running a pilot study with Historic England to develop a Listed Building Consent Order to cover certain works to designated bridges and locks. It is proposed that the pilot study will test the methodology and will inform the application requirements and process. In the interim, interested parties are advised to consult with Historic England.

When an application for a consent order is submitted, the Secretary of State must consider the desirability of preserving the listed building in question, the building’s setting, any other features the building has of special architectural or historic interest and also the relevant policies in the National Planning Policy Framework. In addition, consultation must be undertaken with Historic England.

The consent order may detail certain conditions which must be adhered to.