Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990

Control of works in respect of listed buildings E+W

7 Restriction on works affecting listed buildings. E+W

[F1 (1)] Subject to the following provisions of this Act, no person shall execute or cause to be executed any works for the demolition of a listed building or for its alteration or extension in any manner which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest, unless the works are authorised [F2 under section 8].

[F3 (2) Subsection (1) is subject to section 33(1) of the Planning Act 2008 (exclusion of requirement for other consents for development for which development consent required).]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 7 renumbered as s. 7(1) (1.3.2010) by virtue of Planning Act 2008 (c. 29), ss. 36, 241(8), Sch. 2 para. 39(2) (with s. 226); S.I. 2010/101, art. 2 (with art. 6)

F2 Words in S. 7(1) inserted (1.3.2010) by Planning Act 2008 (c. 29), ss. 36, 241(8), Sch. 2 para. 39(3) (with s. 226); S.I. 2010/101, art. 2 (with art. 6)

F3 S. 7(2) inserted (1.3.2010) by Planning Act 2008 (c. 29), ss. 36, 241(8), Sch. 2 para. 39(4) (with s. 226); S.I. 2010/101, art. 2 (with art. 6)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Ss. 7, 8 modified by S.I. 1990/1519, reg. 13(1); applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1990/1519, reg. 12, Sch. 3

C2 S. 7 excluded (18.12.1996) by 1996 c. 61, s. 12, Sch. 7 paras. 1(1)(3), 2(1)(a)

S. 7 applied (18.12.1996) by 1996 c. 61, s. 12, Sch. 8 paras. 1(5), 2(5)

S. 7 restricted (1.10.1994) by S.I. 1994/1771, art. 5(5)

C3 S. 7 excluded (22.7.2008) by Crossrail Act 2008 (c. 18), Sch. 9 paras. 1(1)(a)(3), 2(1)(a)(2)

C4 S. 7 modified (W.) (30.4.2012) by The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Wales) Regulations 2012 (No. 793), regs. 1, 16, Sch. 3

C5 Ss. 7-29 applied (Isles of Scilly) (with modifications) (2.10.2013) by The Town and Country Planning (Isles of Scilly) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2148), arts. 1(1), 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 1(2))

C6 S. 7 excluded (23.2.2017) by High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act 2017 (c. 7), s. 70(1), Sch. 18 paras. 1(2), 2(2)

C7 S. 7 excluded (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 18 para. 1(2)(a) (with Sch. 18 para. 1(3))

C8 S. 7 excluded (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 18 para. 2(2)(a)

8 Authorisation of works: listed building consent. E+W

(1) Works for the alteration or extension of a listed building are authorised if—

(a) written consent for their execution has been granted by the local planning authority or the Secretary of State; and

(b) they are executed in accordance with the terms of the consent and of any conditions attached to it.

(2) Works for the demolition of a listed building are authorised if—

(a) such consent has been granted for their execution;

(b) notice of the proposal to execute the works has been given to the Royal Commission;

(c) after such notice has been given either—

(i) for a period of at least one month following the grant of such consent, and before the commencement of the works, reasonable access to the building has been made available to members or officers of the Royal Commission for the purpose of recording it; or

(ii) the Secretary of the Royal Commission, or another officer of theirs with authority to act on their behalf for the purposes of this section, has stated in writing that they have completed their recording of the building or that they do not wish to record it; and

(d) the works are executed in accordance with the terms of the consent and of any conditions attached to it.

(3) Where—

(a) works for the demolition of a listed building or for its alteration or extension are executed without such consent; and

(b) written consent is granted by the local planning authority or the Secretary of State for the retention of the works,

the works are authorised from the grant of that consent.

(4) In this section “the Royal Commission” means—

(a) in relation to England, the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England; and

(b) in relation to Wales, the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales.

(5) The Secretary of State may by order provide that subsection (2) shall have effect with the substitution for the references to the Royal Commission of references to such other body as may be so specified.

(6) Such an order—

(a) shall apply in the case of works executed or to be executed on or after such date as may be specified in the order; and

(b) may apply in relation to either England or Wales, or both.

(7) Consent under subsection (1), (2) or (3) is referred to in this Act as “listed building consent”.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C5 Ss. 7-29 applied (Isles of Scilly) (with modifications) (2.10.2013) by The Town and Country Planning (Isles of Scilly) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2148), arts. 1(1), 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 1(2))

C9 Ss. 7, 8 modified by S.I. 1990/1519, reg. 13(1); applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1990/1519, reg. 12, Sch. 3

C10 S. 8 restricted (1.10.1994) by S.I. 1994/1771, art. 5(5)

C11 S. 8 modified (W.) (30.4.2012) by The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Wales) Regulations 2012 (No. 793), regs. 1, 16, Sch. 3

C12 S. 8(2) amended (E.) (19.2.2001) by S.I. 2001/24, art. 2

9 Offences. E+W

(1) If a person contravenes section 7 he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), if a person executing or causing to be executed any works in relation to a listed building under a listed building consent fails to comply with any condition attached to the consent, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) In proceedings for an offence under this section it shall be a defence to prove the following matters—

(a) that works to the building were urgently necessary in the interests of safety or health or for the preservation of the building;

(b) that it was not practicable to secure safety or health or, as the case may be, the preservation of the building by works of repair or works for affording temporary support or shelter;

(c) that the works carried out were limited to the minimum measures immediately necessary; and

(d) that notice in writing justifying in detail the carrying out of the works was given to the local planning authority as soon as reasonably practicable.

[F4 (3A) In proceedings for an offence under this section in relation to a building on which interim protection is conferred (which is, as a result of section 2B(2), treated as a listed building)—

(a) it is a defence for the person to show that the person did not know, and could not reasonably have been expected to know, that interim protection had been conferred on the building; and

(b) where the defence is raised by a person on whom a notice should have been served under section 2A(2), it is for the prosecution to prove that the notice was served on that person.]

F5 [(4) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or [F6 a fine], or both; or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine, or both.]

(5) In determining the amount of any fine to be imposed on a person convicted F7 . . . of an offence under this section, the court shall in particular have regard to any financial benefit which has accrued or appears likely to accrue to him in consequence of the offence.

Textual Amendments

F4 S. 9(3A) inserted (21.3.2016 for specified purposes, 31.5.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (anaw 4), ss. 24(2), 41(1)(c)(3); S.I. 2017/633, art. 5(c) (with art. 6(2))

F5 S. 9(4) substituted (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), s. 25, Sch. 3 Pt. I para. 1(a); S.I. 1991/2067, art.3

F6 Words in s. 9(4)(a) substituted (12.3.2015) by The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Fines on Summary Conviction) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/664), reg. 1(1), Sch. 4 para. 19(2) (with reg. 5(1))

F7 Words in s. 9(5) repealed (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), s. 84(6), Schs. 3 Pt. I para. 1(b), 19 Pt.I; S.I. 1991/2067, art. 3 and Sch.1

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C5 Ss. 7-29 applied (Isles of Scilly) (with modifications) (2.10.2013) by The Town and Country Planning (Isles of Scilly) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2148), arts. 1(1), 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 1(2))

C13 Ss. 9–12 modified by S.I. 1990/1519, reg. 13(1); applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1990/1519, reg. 12, Sch. 3

C14 S. 9 restricted (1.10.1994) by S.I. 1994/1771, art. 5(5)

C15 Ss. 9-12 modified (W.) (30.4.2012) by The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Wales) Regulations 2012 (No. 793), regs. 1, 16, Sch. 3