A Listed Building is a building or structure of special architectural or historic interest. It is included on a register called the "Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest" which is managed by English Heritage on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The older a building is, the more likely it is to be listed. All buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition are listed, as are most of those built between 1700 and 1840. The criteria become tighter with time, so that post-1945 buildings have to be exceptionally important to be listed. A building has normally to be over 30 years old to be eligible for listing.
Categories of Listed Buildings
- Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important; only 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I
- Grade II* buildings are particularly important buildings of more than special interest; 5.5% of listed buildings are Grade II*
- Grade II buildings are nationally important and of special interest; 92% of all listed buildings are in this class and it is the most likely grade of listing for a home owner.
How does a listing affect me?
Listing is not a preservation order, preventing change. Listing is an identification stage where buildings are marked and celebrated as having exceptional architectural or historic special interest, before any planning stage which may decide a building's future.
Listing does not freeze a building in time, it simply means that listed building consent must be applied for in order to make any changes to that building which might affect its special interest. Listed buildings can be altered, extended and sometimes even demolished within government planning guidance. The Council uses listed building consent to make decisions that balance the site's historic significance against other issues such as its function, condition or viability.
If you wish to alter, extend or demolish a listed building in a way that affects its character as a building of special interest, you must first obtain Listed Building Consent. Find out more from the English Heritage planning advice page.
Listed Buildings in Havering
The pages below show each of the listed buildings in Havering. You can also download a spreadsheet of listed buildings under the download section on the right hand side of the screen.