Listed buildings

Listed Buildings

A listed building is a building identified by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as being of architectural or historic interest on the advice of Historic England. This can be anything from a major building such as a cathedral to a humble Sunderland cottage. Even an individual boundary stone or lamppost can be listed.

Listed buildings are given a grade depending on how important they are:

Grade I - These are buildings of exceptional interest

Grade II* - These are particularly important buildings of more than special interest

Grade II - These are buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made to preserve them.

If you live or work in a listed building and you want to alter it in any way, inside or out, you should first talk to a Planning Officer from the City Council. They will be able to tell you whether or not you can carry out the work and, if you need permission from the Council, you will be required to make a Listed Building Consent application. It is a criminal offence to carry out any alterations to a Listed Building without getting permission from the Council.

To check whether a building is listed use the Listed building register or visit Historic England's search facility.