Historic Environment Supplementary Planning Document - Consultation Draft (February 2026)

4.0 Listed Buildings

4.1 Listed buildings are an important part of the cultural heritage of the district, and the Council is committed to them.

What is a Listed Building?

4.2 The government (Department for Culture Media and Sport) produces a list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest that covers the whole of England. These are “listed” buildings. Each area of the country has its own list and the list for Bolsover has 191 entries (396 buildings). historicengland.org.uk/listing/ the-list

4.3 The list includes a wide variety of structures, representing the best of English buildings. It ranges from castles and cathedrals, and includes structures such as mileposts, statues and bridges. When a building is assessed for “listing”, both its historic interest and its architectural interest are considered. Each building is looked at on the basis of a set of national criteria. If a historic building is not listed, it will usually be because it has not met the government standards but there are exceptions that have been over-looked and sometimes these will be individually “spot-listed”.

4.4 A listed building includes the building itself (in the list description), any object or structure fixed to it or any structure within the curtilage (i.e. within the boundary) of the premises that pre-dates July 1948.

How are they selected

4.5 Very broadly speaking the criteria for listing buildings are:

• all buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition
• most buildings of 1700 to 1840, though selection is necessary
• between 1840 and 1914 only buildings of definite quality and character, and the selection is designed to include the principal works of the principal architects
• after 1914 only selected outstanding buildings are listed
• buildings that are less than 30 years old, only if they are of outstanding quality and under threat buildings that are less than 10 years old are not listed

4.6 In choosing buildings particular attention is paid to:

• age and rarity
• special architectural interest or social and economic interest (e.g. industrial buildings, railway stations, schools, planned social housing, almshouses, prisons, mills)
• technological innovation or virtuosity
• association with well-known characters or events
• group value, especially as examples of town planning (e.g. model villages, squares, terraces)

How are buildings classified in importance

4.7 There are three categories of listed building that are classified in grades according to their importance; grade I, grade II* and grade II.

Grade I; these are buildings of exceptional interest (only about 2% of listed buildings are in this grade) Bolsover has 7 grade I listed buildings)

Grade II*; these are particularly important buildings of more than special interest (only about 4% of listed buildings) Bolsover has 25 grade II* listed buildings)

Grade II; these are buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made to preserve them (94% of listed buildings) Bolsover has 363 grade II listed buildings

Alterations

4.8 Most listed buildings, though not all, can accommodate some degree of sensitive alteration.

4.9 Any alterations that affect the character of a listed building either internal or external, will require Listed Building Consent. The test that the local authority will apply is whether the alterations proposed affect the building’s special architectural or historic interest. In some cases repairs (such as re-roofing, cleaning or rerendering) can also affect the special character and will require Listed Building Consent.

4.10 Interiors of listed buildings are also protected by law, as is the setting of the building. If work involves removing any historic fittings or finishes, such as plaster, this will need Listed Building Consent. If in doubt, you should consult the Conservation Manager.

4.11 In formulating your proposal for alterations you should give special consideration to the historic character of the building. You are advised to seek the advice of an historic building specialist to assist you with your application. They should be able to assess the development of the building over time and advise you on the best solutions that avoid damage to the historic fabric.

4.12 As part of your submission for listed building consent you or your adviser will need to consider;

• The significance of the building, its intrinsic architectural, artistic, archaeological or historic interest and its rarity in both national and local terms
• The particular features of the building that contribute to its significance
• The impact of your proposals on that significance, including its overall character or any particular features
• The impact of your proposal on the setting of the building as part of that significance

4.13 Planning permission and/or Listed Building Consent will only be granted if proposals for alteration would preserve the special interest of the listed building and would not harm its significance as a heritage asset. To this end a Heritage Impact Statement including a Statement of Significance, will be required to accompany any applications.

Historic Fixtures and Fittings

4.14 Historic buildings will have been added to and adapted over the years. Later additions to a historic building can be of particular interest. Georgian or Victorian plasterwork, for example, should not be removed to reveal timber beams underneath. Generally it will not be appropriate to strip back later historic features to reveal earlier phases of a building. Most works of “restoration” will need Listed Building Consent. If in doubt, consult the Conservation Officer.

4.15 Windows and doors are also an important part of the fabric of the building. They are important architectural and historic elements and tell us much about the evolution of a building. The fenestration (the arrangement and detail of windows) is often essential to its historic character and is key to identifying its historical development. Windows evolved with fashion, style and technical know-how. For example, early sash windows in the early 18th century, with thick ovolomoulded glazing bars, gave way to very slender glazing bars in the Georgian period and larger panes of glass in the later 19th century. Historic windows are important elements of buildings and tell us much about their evolution.

4.16 The specific material of an historic window is an integral part of the building’s character. For that reason, replacement of historic windows with modern materials, such as uPVC, will not be approved. Alternative options to window replacement include;

• Refurbishing windows to add draught-proofing.
• Making use of existing internal shutters
• Installing secondary glazing
• Using thermally lined curtains or insulated internal blinds

4.17 Original doors and their surviving furniture should be retained and repaired if possible. Replacement doors should copy the original in terms of materials, detailed design and paint finish. Modern off–the-peg doors are not generally acceptable for use in listed building. Unpainted hardwood or stained or varnished softwood doors are rarely suitable.

4.18 Replacing any window in your property requires Building Regulations approval, even if a like–for-like replacement is being made.

4.19 Listed Building Consent or planning permission will not be approved where it results in the loss of important historic fixtures or fittings.

Extensions

4.20 Extensions will only be permitted where the special character of the building can be preserved. Any proposal will need to consider the impact of an extension on the character of a building and on its setting and demonstrate this in a Heritage Impact Statement.

4.21 In formulating your proposal you should give special consideration to the historic form, building details, scale and context of the building. You are advised to appoint a suitably qualified historic building specialist to assist you with your application.

4.22 The scale of the extension should be subordinate to the host building. Particular attention should be paid to the proportions of the building, the detail of the roof and eaves, the bond of any historic brickwork or coursing of the stone masonry, the detail of the windows and any other particular features. Sufficient details should be illustrated on the drawings.

4.23 There are occasions when an extension will not be acceptable. This is particularly the case for very small or compact buildings, those that have a strong symmetrical design, those set-piece designs by famous architects, or those that have been overdeveloped in the past.

4.24 Planning permission and/or Listed Building Consent will only be granted if proposals for extension would preserve the special interest of the listed building.

Maintenance and Repair

4.25 Prior to undertaking any work to repair an historic building it is important to understand the form and development of the building. It is generally advisable to obtain professional advice. Alterations and repairs to historic buildings require specialist skills in traditional building construction and repair.

4.26 The repair of old fabric is almost always preferable to the introduction of new materials, although sometimes it is not possible to achieve this. The old has patina and authenticity. These characteristics are irreplaceable.

4.27 Like for like repairs using traditional materials do not require consent.

4.28 It is essential that a traditionally constructed building is allowed to breathe. Traditional buildings do not normally have cavity walls and a waterproof outer skin. Most are built from solid masonry and they rely on the ability of the walls to breathe, so that any surface moisture evaporates quickly. A fully air-tight building could store up such problems as condensation and dry rot.

Damp

4.29 A major concern for most historic building owners is damp. With traditional buildings there are a few key things to remember to avoid damp;

• Clean out gutters, hoppers and catchpits twice a year, particularly after the leaf fall in the autumn
• Maintain all gutters, rainwater pipes and hoppers by painting (if cast – metal or timber), securing joints and checking the correct fall
• Ventilate, open windows and allow the building to air over the spring and summer months
• Re-point masonry (where necessary) using a lime mortar
• Maintain leadwork on the roof; lead flashings on chimney stacks and lead valleys
• Avoid a build-up of soil around the exterior walls. Try to keep the ground level outside the building lower than the ground level inside. This can be helped by a French drain. If you have penetrating damp because the higher land is not in your ownership, you may have to consider tanking the walls
• Never block up air vents to suspended floors
• Never cover up or bridge a damp proof course (this should be at least 6” above ground level)

4.30 Historic windows and doors do eventually need repair and sometimes replacement. Replacements will normally need to be custom made. All historic details should be duplicated so that the new window or door is an exact copy of the original with an approved design subject to Listed Building Consent.

Mortars

4.31 When re-applying render it should be carried out in a lime mortar to enable the walls to breathe. Paints should be water-based or mineral-based so that any moisture is not sealed in.

4.32 When re-plastering internally it is always advisable to use a lime-based renovating plaster (or lime and hair plaster) rather than cement or Gypsum plaster, which are dense materials and do not match the flexibility and breathability of historic buildings.

4.33 Traditional buildings will require re – pointing at some time. It is important to match the original mortar if at all possible. Generally, 1:3 (hydraulic lime: sand) is desirable for repointing brickwork and stonework. Lime is important as it enables the wall to breathe and lengthens the life of the stone or brick. Washed or wellgraded sand will provide the texture needed to match traditional mortars. In order to match up new mortar with old, care should be taken to select sand that is similar and it may be necessary to experiment to get the right colour and texture. Mortars did not traditionally use red sand, although this is now widely available.

4.34 Further information on repairs can be obtained from the Institute of Historic Building’s website www.ihbc.org.uk listed buildings checklist.

Retrofit Advice

Improving the energy efficiency of heritage buildings requires careful planning to balance energy savings with the preservation of historic fabric. Key strategies include improving heating systems, adding insulation, draughtproofing windows and doors, and installing secondary glazing instead of modern double glazing.

A whole-building approach, focusing on a holistic and balanced solution that respects the building’s character, is essential for successful energy retrofitting.

Historic England has produced an Advice Note to provide clarity in relation to proposals to reduce carbon emissions and improving the energy efficiency of historic buildings whilst conserving their significance and ensuring they remain viable places to live in the future. Available to download using the link below.

Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency | Historic England: historicengland.org.uk/images-books/ publications/adapting-historic-buildings-energy-carbonefficiency-advice-note-18

A range of technical advice and guidance is also available from Historic England on climate change mitigation and adaptation for resilience, including energy efficiency, retrofit, and Net Zero. This information can be accessed using the link below.

Energy Efficiency and Retrofit in Historic Buildings | Historic England: historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/ retrofit-and-energy-efficiency-in-historic-buildings Works to improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings is highly likely to require formal consent. Advice on what would be required and how the impact would be evaluated is provided later in this chapter.

New Buildings

4.35 A listed building (including its curtilage) is protected by law from inappropriate development. Any building work within the curtilage will need planning permission. There are no permitted development rights.

4.36 The legislation also protects the wider setting of listed buildings. Applications for development can be turned down on the grounds of damage to the setting.

4.37 There is no rule of thumb defining at what distance the proposed development has to be away from the listed building to affect setting. An assessment of setting is not just confined to views to the listed building but also views from the listed building.

4.38 The setting can be an integral part of a building’s character. This could be a formal garden design if it is a house, or a designed parkland if it is a country house, or a space that served the building historically (a churchyard to a church, a service yard to a textile factory or a farmyard to a farmhouse). The designed parkland also invariably sits within its own setting which also needs to be respected.

4.39 Setting can also extend to the relationship between a listed building and its neighbours (particularly important if the neighbours share common characteristics, such as a terrace), or it can extend further to incorporate views of the building if it is a landmark. Planning permission for development will not be granted where it would result in damage to the setting of a listed building.

Buildings at Risk

4.40 Owners have a duty of care to look after their historic buildings. Listed buildings need to be regularly maintained. Preventive maintenance (such as cleaning out gutters and drains and replacing slates that have slipped) is the key to avoiding problems escalating out of control.

4.41 If an owner is not adequately keeping a listed building in good repair the Local Planning Authority, English Heritage and the Secretary of State all have powers to serve notice on the owner to prevent further deterioration or carry out full repairs. These powers are given under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. They are called either an Urgent Works Notice (section 54) or a Full Repairs Notice (section 48). The serving of a Full Repairs Notice can lead to Compulsory Purchase of a listed building if repairs are not carried out.

4.42 Listed buildings are also protected by law from unauthorised work or demolition. Unauthorised work that results in damage to a listed building or loss of any historic features is a criminal offence.

4.43 The majority of historic buildings in England are well maintained. A number of historic buildings are “at risk” from dereliction, neglect and disuse. These are publicised in a national and county list of “Buildings at Risk”. These range from buildings on the point of collapse to those needing some maintenance or with vacant upper floors.

4.44 The register enables the local authority to prioritise any action needed. It also enables the authority to look strategically at any patterns of neglect to identify areas needing pro-active initiatives (such as grant schemes and feasibility studies).

4.45 Derbyshire County Council are responsible for maintaining the Register for Buildings at Risk across the County. The entries are listed on a dedicated web page. The Historic England website enables the search of Heritage at Risk across England.

• apps.derbyshire.gov.uk/dotnet-applications/ HistoricBuildings/default.aspx
• historicengland.org.uk/listing/heritage-at-risk/searchregister/