We are delighted to announce we have secured planning permission to sympathetically refurbish and extend a Grade II listed Regency villa in central Southampton.
The design will extensively renovate the existing building, to deliver a scheme that enhances the rich, historic personality of the original dwelling and upgrade the energy efficiency of the property. A contemporary extension, replacing the current, poorly constructed extension, will create a largely glazed structure to transform the rear of the property with a spacious kitchen running across the whole elevation of the home. The work will breathe new life into the property, to create a functional, joyful home for the owners and their young family.
You can read more details about the project here; we have also written an article about working on listed and heritage building which you might find interesting which you can find here.
In the UK we are fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful architectural buildings across multiple generations, in many towns and villages you can find a rich tapestry of architectural gems showcasing our living history. If you are lucky enough to own a heritage property then you might need to think a little more carefully before you undertake any renovations, extensions or alterations as you will probably need to get these approved in advance.
At Studio BAD we have in-depth experience working on listed and historic buildings, we have been fortunate to work on several interesting project schemes such as adding a contemporary extension to Holly Cottage, reimagining a Georgian townhouse in Southampton and reinstating a historic dwelling in rural Hampshire.
Through the design process we get asked many questions about working with listed buildings, so we thought we should share some of these with you. Please note that no two projects are the same, what is acceptable to one listed building is not necessarily acceptable for another and these notes are only intended as a guide.
It’s my house, why can’t I do what I want to?
Buildings are listed as they hold special architectural or historic interest, if you are lucky enough to own one of these properties you have an additional level of responsibility to preserve the building. This does not mean you cannot alter the property; you just need to have some additional permissions in place before you do to ensure the historic integrity of the building is kept intact.
Concept design for a contemporary extension to a heritage property in Whitchurch.
How do I know if my property is listed?
If you are not sure about the official status of your home you can easily check using the Historic England database, which you can find here.
When was a building listed?
The full details of a property listing are available on the Historic England site, including the date it was first listed and other information including the grade of listing, reasons for designation and a short history of the entry.
What makes a listed building?
There are three main principles when it comes to getting a building Listed: The age and rarity of the structure, the architectural or historic interest and any historical associations.
There are three main grades of listing in England:
Grade I – buildings of exceptional interest (around 2% of listed buildings)
Grade II* – buildings of particular importance and of more than special interest (around 4% of listed buildings)
Grade II – buildings of special interest, which represent an important part or our built heritage (around 95% of listed buildings)
It is worth remembering that grading can be changed where reevaluation takes place after damage or alterations, as more evidence of a building’s history or architectural quality is uncovered.
The reimagined interior of St Margaret’s Church
Can a building be delisted?
It is very rare to have the listing of a building removed, however it is occasionally possible. Historic England will consider a review of a property listing provided it is accompanied by new evidence relating to the architectural or historic interest of the building. Please note that evidence about the building’s condition, cost of maintaining it or redevelopment plans, cannot be taken into consideration for delisting.
Can I extend my listed building?
Yes of course, having a listed building does not mean that it has a preservation order on it preventing any change, it just means that any change has to be carefully considered so it does not affect the special interest of the property.
Can I have a contemporary extension on a listed building
Yes! Having a heritage building does not mean you have to be stuck in the past with the architecture of any additions to the scheme. Often conservation officers will be keen for any extension to have a different architectural language from the original, to allow the history of the building to be easily read.
See our Holly Cottage project, where we successfully added a contemporary ground floor extension to create a modern kitchen and separate family room onto the listed property.
Can I demolish a listed building?
Sometimes this is possible, but you would need to have Listed Building Consent and Planning Permission in place before you were to do this. The conservation office assigned to you would make a decision on a case by case basis, taking into account the condition of the building, its function and other issues.
Is Listed Building Consent the same as Planning Permission?
No, these are separate permissions. Depending on the work you are looking to undertake it will determine if you need one or both in place before you start any work. The best place to start is either by speaking with your local authority Conservation Officer, or if you are working with a professional Architectural practice, they should be able to help advise you about what is needed for your specific project.
Listed Building Consent is the legal permission you need to have in place to alter your listed building, it is worth remembering that it is a criminal offense to alter your building without this in place first. The case officer will help to oversee the project and ensure that any alterations are in keeping with the original character of the building.
Planning Permission is needed for the majority of work done to the exterior of any property (some alterations fall under Permitted Development, but it is best to check with your Local Authority before you start) so this might also need to be in place if, for example, you were looking build a kitchen extension onto your Listed home.
Concept idea for a contemporary extension to a New Forest cottage.
Do I need planning permission when working on a Listed Building
Not always, planning permission is only needed for making alterations to the exterior of your home. You will not need planning permission for regular maintenance, or to change items such as the internal staircase or the fireplace, but you might still need to get Listed Building Consent for both of these examples.
How do I get permission for altering a Listed Building
When working with a Listed Building it is always best to engage with an experienced architect who has previously worked on Listed Buildings, with a proven track record in securing planning for similar projects to your own.
Once you know what alterations you are looking to do it is best to apply for Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent at the same time. For both of these you will need to prepare detailing drawings and documents that show the current state and the proposed changes.
Are listed buildings exempt from Energy Performance Certification (EPC)
Most properties need an EPC when you build, sell or rent them, but there are a few exceptions when this certification is not needed including if the property is listed, you can find more information here.
What is the Local Heritage Asset Register? (The Local List)
The Local Heritage Asset Register is a register of local heritage assets that may not quite meet the strict requirements for national listing, but that still make a significant contribution to the historic environment of their specific locality or district. To make any alternations to a locally listed property you might find there are some restrictions in place that you need to adhere to, an experienced architect or your local planning department will be able to help you understand what these might be.
The contemporary extension on Holly Cottage.
Can listed building consent be granted retrospectively
In short, yes it can be but it is always strongly recommended to get your permissions in place before you start any work, as it is a criminal offence to undertake unauthorised work to a listed building.
What is listed building curtilage
Curtilage listed, or listed by association, is a term used to describe buildings with the grounds (or curtilage) of a listed property which is also subjected to the listed building itself and will need to apply for listed building consent before any work is undertaken. These structures can often include boundary walls, outbuildings, farm buildings, coach houses or workers cottages which are located in the grounds of the principal listed building or was ancillary to the principal listed building at the time of listing.
We hope those FAQ’s have helped you get a better understanding of how to work on a listed building, as restrictions and regulations are always changing, we would recommend you speak to an architect (especially us!) or your local planners before starting any work. From our experience working on a listed property does not rule out interesting architecture, it just means you have to be more mindful in what you are trying to achieve, your material choices and materials used, often resulting in a more interesting design solution.
Get in touch with us to discuss your heritage project, or for more general information you can find out more at Historic England.
Good news to end the week with, our Holly Cottage project has been selected for the shortlist in this year’s Build It Awards, within the ‘Best Architect or Designer for an Extension Project’ category. We are really quite humbled to be amongst such a talented group of architects recognised in this category, but also delighted to have our work recognised in this way.
The annual Build It Awards celebrate all aspects of self-build and renovation projects; we are looking forward to the awards winners being announced on the 8th November – please keep your fingers crossed for us!
As a design practice we are inherently interested in the idea of using architecture for positive change, we understand buildings and places can be specifically designed to support communities and improve a wider social context. As a practice we have had the pleasure of working on several schemes which have renovated existing properties, adapted buildings to fit changing needs and reimagined areas to create welcoming community spaces.
Designing for Community Projects
A thriving cafe is one of the new community focused offerings at St Margaret’s Church.
With regular attendance to Church falling steadily in the UK, according to the latest ‘Statistics for Mission 2022’ report by The Church of England the average weekly attendance has dropped from 854,000 people in 2019 to just 654,000 in 2022, we are finding that many church buildings are now facing a funding crisis. Many dioceses are now looking at new funding steams to help with the upkeep of these magnificent properties. As a practice we have been working with several churches to review their current property portfolio, to use architecture as a way to unlock the potential of the sites, to better suit the local needs and to once again make these buildings the cornerstone of their community.
We transformed St Margaret’s Church in Portsmouth, without having to undergo extensive and expensive building work to create a vibrant heart of the neighbourhood once again. The church building had been condemned before we were approached to review the possibility of reimagining the building, to use our design knowledge to increase congregation numbers and deliver support for all sectors of society of the local community.
Our key strategy was to introduce ‘meanwhile architecture’, a methodology through which an innovative strategy can be delivered incrementally, proactively getting the building used again as and when chunks of funding was available. Much of the ‘meanwhile’ fit out was created as flexible and movable pieces of furniture including cost effective plywood furniture units built on wheels to gives the interior layout endless flexibility, allowing the layout to easily be adapted to support all the community’s needs. Within the church us now has a busy café, well used food bank, soft play centre and cycle repair shop alongside the traditional church services, making the reinvigorated church is now thriving once again and used by all sectors of society across all seven days a week.
‘We took the decision to appoint the Studio BAD collective team rather than a more traditional church architect because we enjoyed the studio’s community focus & collaborative method of design. The team took the time to understand our vision, contributed to that vision & really engaged with all our activities. We particularly enjoyed the mix of practical, theoretical & hands on engagement, bringing life to plans & sections.’
– Fran Carabott, Lay Pioneer Minister
Sustainable Reuse of a Property
The old bank has been reimagined as a community bookshop.
The traditional high street has seen many changes, as more retail and banking services are moving online. As designers we are seeing a rise in the need to reimagine urban centres and the commercial buildings, to offer properties a new lease of life. We believe that reusing the existing is the most sustainable approach, also reimagined structures can be more engaging that deliver richer schemes by offering a sense of history into a project.
Our October Books project redeveloped a beautifully grand Neo-Classical Victorian bank building in the Portswood area of Southampton. The established, independent bookshop set up a collaborative consortium with the homeless charity ‘The Society of St James’, to create a base for these two community focused ventures.
We reimagined the space to reactivate the old bank, for the good of the community. The design converted the ground floor of the former bank into a new book shop and community space, with the first and second floors converted to residential units for the homeless charity. We kept in quirky details from its former use to add a richness to the design, for example we keep the existing cash machine steel vault and encapsulated it within the shop counter.
Maximising an Existing Building
Concept designs to reimagine the plot, to deliver a new church and social housing scheme.
Occasionally reusing a property just doesn’t make financial sense and we need to look at how to maximise the potential of a site or building to support the community in a different way. We listen intently to determine exactly what our clients are looking to achieve, then put forward alternative suggestions that can maximise the site for the good of all.
At St Columba Church we hosted several focus community workshops and quickly understood it would be difficult to adapt the current building with the budget available to meet the expectations of the community, they needed the church to offer flexible space to host events, had a kitchen and washing facilities, is low energy to reduce the running costs and offers a welcoming and safe space to all.
By interrogating the site, it soon became apparent that there was space available to build a new, purpose-built church with modern methods of construction to deliver a low energy building that had the flexibility to meet the current needs and future needs of the local audience.
To raise the funds needed for this modern building, the funding would be unlocked by selling the existing church building which has been redesigned to create nine residential flats, with a shared internal communal space and a warden’s room to offer on-going support to the residence.
Community Design Workshop
Part of the community group who shaped and delivered the Bedford Place project.
As a design practice we understand the importance of hosting design workshops from an early stage with the local audience, to be inclusive in our design approach to deliver schemes which support social change and also create designs that celebrate the essence of a place.
When working on the pedestrianised area of Bedford Place in Southampton we worked with the whole community, business owners and local residence, hosting weekly meetings from the initial design concept stages, through the activation of the project to completion. This inclusive approach helped to shape the design by giving all those involved a voice, it also offered live feedback throughout to enhance the design. The project used low-cost temporary solutions, such as decorated concrete barriers, planters, outdoor seating and paint the road surfaces to enhance the closed roads to transform the space into a friendlier place for people in the community.
The project was originally only intended as a temporary solution to last a few months over the summer, but due to the success much of it has been kept in place, creating a vibrant backdrop to the artisan area of Southampton.
Get in touch to see how we can help you reimagine your community building or space.
Last week we went to site to see the fantastic progress on our deep retrofit project, reimagining the existing Brockenhurst House dwelling in the heart of the New Forest National Park.
Our work has reimagined the distinctive 1970’s chalet house, adding an extension to reconfiguring the property alongside a full thermal upgrade to the property. The contractor has nearly finished on the main construction to a very high standard, leaving the smaller finishing touches to be completed by the owners. We are really looking forward to seeing this project complete very soon.
Site visits are really important for us in the design journey, they give us an opportunity to check in with the contractor and owner to help with any design issues that may have arisen, to ensure the finished project reflects the original design intention and is finished with the attention to detail our clients expect.
Our Girl Guides Hut project was published in the Architects Journal this week; it is always nice to see our project news shared with prestigious industry publications, click here for the full article.
The design for the replacement hut has recently been submitted in for planning. The sustainably designed building will have low running costs, to make it an economical building for the charity to run. Due to the conditions of the site the building has been carefully crafted to maximise the space available, whilst fitting within the mature trees onsite and touching the ground lightly on screw piles. More project details can be found here.
