Retrofit restrictions to be eased for historic buildings

Planning constraints on historic buildings will be loosened to make them easier to retrofit, ministers have said. Owners of homes built before 1919 will no longer need to apply for permission to install heat pumps and solar panels on listed buildings. The government said it “wants to see the energy efficiency of historic homes improved but without the blight of ugly or inappropriate retrofit damaging these properties”. A review into the challenges faced when retrofitting in conservation areas and listed buildings found that planning was a major issue faced by households, with frustration about the time it takes to get planning permission.  Ministers now want to change the system so that councils can give blanket permission for whole areas to install net zero technology, as long as certain conditions are met. Housing and communities minister Baroness Penn said:  “Our historic homes are the jewel in the crown of this country’s heritage and must be protected. This review will ensure they are preserved for future generations to enjoy, while also improve the lives of those who live in them by reducing their energy costs, supporting us in our shared goal to reach net zero by 2050.”  The UK has 6.2m historic homes, which account for nearly a quarter of the UK’s total housing stock.In addition there are around 600,000 historic commercial properties in the UK, accounting for almost a third of commercial buildings. The changes would affect just under 3m properties in England and are part of efforts to hit net zero targets on household emissions. Commitments set out in “Adapting historic homes for energy efficiency: a review of the barriers”  include:  A consultation on new national development management policy specially for historic buildings, ensuring greater certainty and consistency in decisions Consulting on the greater use of listed building consent orders to support building improvements, removing the need to submit individual listed building consent applications Developing clearer guidance for owners of historic homes on improving energy efficiency and supporting the construction industry to better deliver retrofitting services Consulting on reforms to energy performance certificates to ensure they are accurate, reliable and trustworthy. The review also commits to further reviews of the planning system, action to tackle the skills shortage, as well as financial incentives. Among those welcoming the proposed change was Grosvenor, which is investing £90m to retrofit its London estate. Tor Burrows, group sustainability director at Grosvenor, said: “Historic buildings are central to Britain’s culture and economy and should play a leading role in the fight against climate change. “Retrofitting historic properties could generate £35bn of output a year, reduce carbon emissions for nearly a quarter of all UK homes and a third of commercial buildings and safeguard the future for an important part of the UK’s heritage. “Achieving this requires a supportive policy framework that cuts across planning, skills, fiscal support, and consumer advice. As such, we welcome the government’s report and commitment to further reforms, particularly to further reforming the planning system, which can be a significant barrier.” Grosvenor has been working alongside the National Trust, Peabody, Historic England and the Crown Estate to raise awareness of the barriers to retrofitting historic buildings through its Heritage and Carbon campaign. In March 2023, the group published “Addressing the skills gap”, which identified the need for 205,000 workers to focus solely on retrofitting historic buildings every year from now until 2050 to meet the UK’s net zero targets. This is more than double the number of workers Grosvenor estimates currently have the necessary skills. Grosvenor has so far retrofitted 1.5m sq ft of space at a cost of £115m. To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews