I Live in a Listed Building, Can I Still Renovate My Home?
Living in a listed building? Discover what renovations are possible, the permissions you’ll need, & how to update your home while preserving its historic charm.
Heritage statements & impact assessment architects.
We prepare Heritage Statements and Impact Assessments alongside the design, so the drawings and the written justification work together. This helps decision-makers understand both the building and the thinking behind the proposal.
Explaining what makes a building special.
When a project affects a listed building or a property in a conservation area, planners need to understand why that building or place is important before they can judge how it should change. Heritage Statements and Impact Assessments provide that context.
They explain what gives a building its historic and architectural value, and how proposed changes will affect that value. Rather than being a box-ticking exercise, these documents play an important role in shaping both the design and the planning decision.
Knowing what’s required from the start.
Not every heritage project needs the same level of reporting. Early advice helps clarify whether a Heritage Statement or Impact Assessment is required, and how detailed it needs to be for your particular project.
This avoids producing documents that are either too light to be useful or far more complex than necessary. It also means the right level of information is prepared from the outset, so the planning application has what it needs to be assessed properly.
Understanding these requirements early also helps avoid delays later, when additional reports are requested unexpectedly.
Building a clear picture of your property.
Each report begins with a detailed understanding of the building or area involved. This includes looking at its history, how it was built, how it has changed over time and which elements contribute most to its significance.
By identifying what really matters about a building, design decisions can be shaped around those qualities. This ensures that important features are protected and that any change is focused on areas where it can be more easily accommodated.
This process also helps explain the building in simple terms, so decision-makers can clearly see why certain elements are sensitive and why others may be suitable for change.
Book your free consultation.
Let’s explore the possibilities of your space and start the exciting journey of bringing your lifestyle aspirations to life.
Book your free consultation at your home or at one of our offices in Southampton, Bournemouth, Farnham, or Portsmouth.
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Call Us 0330 043 0073
Linking design and justification.
Heritage Statements and Impact Assessments are prepared alongside the design, not after it. This means the written explanation and the drawings support each other, rather than working as separate parts of the application.
The reports explain what is being proposed and assess how those changes affect the building or area’s significance. They also set out why the proposals are appropriate and how potential harm has been avoided or minimised.
This joined-up approach strengthens applications by showing that the design has been informed by heritage considerations from the start, rather than adapted at the last minute.
Helping planners understand the proposal.
Planning and conservation officers rely on these documents to understand both the value of the building and the impact of the proposed changes. Clear, well-structured reporting makes it easier for them to assess an application and reach a decision.
By presenting information in a logical and accessible way, the risk of misunderstanding is reduced. This can help avoid unnecessary objections, repeated requests for clarification or delays in the decision-making process.
A good Heritage Statement or Impact Assessment does not argue for change blindly. It explains change carefully, showing how it has been thought through and why it is justified.
Supporting responsible change.
Historic buildings and places need to be looked after, but they also need to adapt if they are to remain useful and lived in. Heritage documentation plays an important role in finding that balance.
The aim is to demonstrate that proposals have been developed with care and that any impact on heritage value has been properly considered. This allows buildings to evolve in a way that respects their past while supporting their future.
Book your free consultation.
Let’s explore the possibilities of your space and start the exciting journey of bringing your lifestyle aspirations to life.
Book your free consultation at your home or at one of our offices in Southampton, Bournemouth, Farnham, or Portsmouth.
-
Call Us 0330 043 0073
Listed buildings, herritage & conservation
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