Listed building energy efficiency upgrades

[tobydog]

Finally, at least our local authority has acknowledged Period Property concerns. Changes still need to be sensitive to the property but it will be interesting to see how this develops.

Suffolk councils to be first in country to allow energy upgrades for listed buildings

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have worked with Historic England to clear the way for listed buildings to make energy upgrades.

www.eadt.co.uk

 

[Flyfisher]

Hmm.
I cannot see 'sensitive upgrades' without LBC ever working. We all know that defining 'sensitive' is subjective but at least the LBC process requires the input of a CO to 'referee' on such things. Take away the LBC requirement and it'll open the door to uPVC sales people across the country and I'm sure many listed building owners will take up the option to install hideously insensitive new windows and doors. And once the deed is done it will never be possible to force a reversal. It seems tantamount to de-listing to me because windows and doors are usually fundamental to the appearance of a building and a poor choice of replacement can so easily ruin that appearance.

I'm in no way arguing against 'sensitive upgrades'. Indeed, I've replaced some beyond-repair SG windows with DG equivalents, but they have been bespoke oak frames and slimline (18mm) DG units and, more to the point, the design was discussed, modified and agreed with our CO prior to LBC being granted - and we're G2* so English Heritage (now Historic England) was also consulted. Not exactly light on the pocket but the end result looks pretty 'sensitive' to me.

I wonder how long it will be before other councils will be following suit?

 

[mardinor]

That’s terrible news, in my eyes. Our built heritage is more important than short term political ideology. Surely listing was instated to stop precisely this kind of interference?

 

[Flyfisher]

I don't think I'd conflate global climate change/net zero targets with short term political ideology. It's a big topic though, mostly depressing and this is probably not the best forum for such a discussion. But if you believe that global climate change is an existential threat to humanity then it follows that our built heritage is going to be a long way down the priority list when it comes to choosing what we sacrifice in order to stave off annihilation. In such circumstances it could be argued that short-term political action is precisely what's needed, but I see little sign of anything on a globally effective scale. Plus, we now have a new government that regards rapid economic growth as the prime solution to all our ills even though such growth is the root cause of all the environmental stresses we now face. Simply put, humanity is living beyond the planet's ecological means.