Listed and locally listed buildings

What is a locally listed building?

Locally listed buildings are buildings or structures which, although unlikely to meet the criteria for statutory designation as nationally listed buildings through Historic England, possess sufficient historic, architectural, townscape and environmental interest to make them of local value. They don't have to be a building - they can be any structure, memorial or monument.

We use local listing to:

• recognise the quality of the borough's built heritage
• recognise the contribution this heritage makes to the landscape and built environment
• protect this heritage for future generations 

How we choose locally listed buildings

A building or structure can be considered for local listing status as long as its not statutorily listed. (Statutory listing has a higher protection.) When deciding we'll also look to see if:

- it is proved to be older than 1840

- it dates from 1840 to 1939 and is of 'definite quality and character', a building is of definite quality and character if it: 

• was included as Grade III on the former statutory list
• retains a substantial proportion of its original features
• has group value
• has association with well known characters or events
• displays special value within a certain type or illustrates social, economic or industrial history (eg railway stations, schools, almshouses etc)
• makes a contribution to the landscape (by reason of its appropriateness to the site and interrelationship with other buildings)

- it was built after 1939 but is an exceptionally good example of the architectural output of the period and or the work of principal architects

- it demonstrates building materials or methods or external decorative features that are of special interest due to their rarity or to demonstrating local character (no matter when it was built)

Find out more

Locally listed buildings were previously called Buildings of Townscape Merit. The criteria for a Building of Townscape Merit (eg what makes a Building of Townscape Merit ) was decided at the Growth Committee on 16 September 2015.

You can read the full criteria from this meeting:
Growth Committee on 16 September 2015: criteria for a Building of Townscape Merit

You can read more on Historic England for information and advice on Local Heritage Listing and for their advice on local designations.