Listed buildings

A listed building is a building of 'Special Architectural or Historic Interest'. Listing is compiled and managed solely by Historic England.

In the context of listing, the term 'building' is wide ranging and as well as houses, churches, schools and barns, buildings also include walls, tomb stones, milestones, ice houses, bridges and locks, telephone and post boxes.

Once listed, a building (exterior and interior) has protection under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to ensure that it retains its special importance.

There are approximately 500,000 listed buildings currently protected by listing in England and Wales. South Tyneside has nearly 200 entries on the register of Listed Buildings. Some entries consist of several buildings, such as a terrace of houses.

Heritage List for England

The Heritage List for England is the online database bringing together all nationally designated heritage assets in one place. These include:

• Listed Buildings
• Scheduled Monuments
• Registered Parks and Gardens
• Registered Battlefields and Protected Wreck Sites

You can search Heritage at Risk in a number of ways, including text searches with keywords, or via a map to locate designated assets in a particular area.

There are three grades of listed buildings to show their relative importance:

• Grade I buildings of exceptional interest (3% of all listed buildings nationally)
• Grade II* particularly important buildings of more than special interest (5% of all listed buildings)
• Grade II buildings of special interest - warranting every effort to preserve them (92% of all listed buildings)

South Tyneside has:

• 4 Grade I listed buildings
• 6 Grade II* listed buildings
• 186 Grade II listed buildings

Grade I listed buildings in South Tyneside

1. Church of St. Nicholas, Boldon
2. Church of St. Paul, Jarrow
3. Monastery of St. Paul, Jarrow
4. The Old Town Hall, South Shields

Criteria

The following are the main criteria which the Secretary of State applies as appropriate in deciding which buildings to include in the statutory lists:

• Architectural interest, such as buildings which are of importance to the nation for the interest of their architectural design, decoration and craftsmanship; also important examples of particular building types and techniques (e.g. buildings displaying technological innovation or virtuosity) and significant plan forms
• Historic Interest, including buildings which illustrate important aspects of the nation's social, economic, cultural or military history
• Close historical association with nationally important people or events
• Group value, especially where buildings comprise an important architectural or historic unity or a fine example of planning (e.g. squares, terraces or model villages)

Other considerations

Age and rarity are also relevant considerations, particularly where buildings are proposed for listing on the strength of their historic interest.

All buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition are listed.

Most buildings of about 1700 to 1840 are listed, although some selection is necessary to identify the best examples of particular building types, and only buildings of definite quality and character are listed.

After about 1840, because of the greatly increased number of buildings erected and the much larger numbers that have survived, greater selection is necessary to identify the best examples of particular building types and only buildings of definite quality and character are listed.

For the same reasons only selected buildings from the period after 1914 are normally listed.

Buildings which are less than 30 years old are normally listed only if they are of outstanding quality and under threat.

Buildings which are under 10 years old are not listed.

In recent years the Department for Culture, Media & Sport has used a thematic approach to listed buildings, identifying key examples for each range of building types - for example, educational, residential and industrial.

The statutory lists give only brief details and a description of each building, primarily to help identification.

They do not itemise all the particular features of interest.

The whole of the building (interior and exterior) is subject to the listed status and protection, as well as those items of specific interest highlighted in the listed building description.

You will need to get Listed Building Consent if you want to demolish a listed building or any part of it, or alter it in any way which would affect its character, inside or out.

Repairs which match exactly may not need consent, but we can advise you about this as the effect of any repairs is not always straightforward.

Examples of work which will need consent include:

• Changing windows and doors
• Painting over brickwork or removing external surfaces
• Putting in dormer windows or rooflights
• Putting up aerials, satellite dishes and burglar alarms
• Changing roofing materials
• Moving or removing internal walls
• Making new doorways
• Removing or altering fireplaces, panelling or staircases

Consent to demolish will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Carrying out work to a listed building without the appropriate consent is a criminal offence.

Listed building consent and demolition in a conservation area applications

Legislation

Developers and historic building owners need to take account of the council's policies. These reflect local development pressures and requirements, the character of the area, public opinion and other local issues of relevance.

Policies contained in the development plan - the South Tyneside Local Development Framework, or LDF for short - are introduced following extensive public consultation and carry most weight.

Conservation area proposal statements and appraisals, supplementary planning guidance and other policy documents are also very important, particularly when they have been through a public consultation process.

Anyone can recommend a building or structure to be listed. Applications should be directed to Historic England and should include:

• Address of the building
• Any information about the building (e.g. its age)
• Details of current or previous uses of the building
• Details of any historical associations
• The name of the architect (if known)
• Details of any interior features of interest
• Clear, original external and internal photographs
• The name and contact details of owner (if known)
• A location map (such as an Ordnance Survey map)

For further advice on how to get a building listed, please visit Historic England.

If you purchase a listed building, its status will be identified through a land search. You can also find out if a building is listed by visiting Historic England.

Protecting listed buildings

Listed buildings have protection from demolition and unsympathetic alteration. Statutory controls are in place to ensure that the character and integrity of the building is preserved when any alterations are carried out. Listed Building Consent is required for any works which are considered to alter or affect its special interest. The owner of a listed building has to apply for listed building consent to the relevant Local Planning Authority. At various stages in the process, Historic England has the role of advising local planning authorities and the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government on the most important applications. In determining these applications, local planning authorities are required to have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building, its setting and any special features of interest it possesses.

It is always advisable to contact the council's Area Planning Group before undertaking any works to a listed building (see contact details above).