. . . Listed Buildings Continued

Who administers the system?
Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), a specialised department of the DoE, is responsible for compiling lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest.

During the last 30 years all of Northern Ireland's building stock has been visited and assessed.

Criteria for listing
In choosing buildings to be listed certain criteria are used which include the age of the building, its style, condition, aesthetic quality and structural system.

Restrictions
If you wish to demolish a listed building or to alter or extend it in a way that affects its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest, you must apply for listed building consent from your local planning authority. It is an offence to demolish, alter or extend a listed building without listed building consent. Your Divisional Planning Office will advise on this matter.

EHS can provide historical and technical advice to owners and their architects. This could include advice on the acceptability of proposed work and information on historically correct materials and detailing.

If you are contemplating a scheme of works - even painting -you should contact EHS to obtain a Schedule of Requirements which will detail the historic elements that must be repaired and the standards to which the work must be carried out.

Before starting any work you should consult your Divisional Planning Office. Listed building consent is necessary in addition to any planning permission needed. For most owners, however, applications for both can be considered.
Planning permission alone is not sufficient to authorise demolition.

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