Do I Need an Architect for a Listed Building?
Owning a listed building is a privilege — one that comes with beauty, heritage, and certain complexities. These homes carry a richness of character and craftsmanship that modern buildings rarely match. But when it comes to updating or adapting them, even experienced homeowners can feel unsure where to begin.
One of the most common questions we’re asked at Studio Elle Architecture is: Do I need an architect for a listed building renovation?
Understanding Listed Building Consent
In the UK, a listed building is legally protected due to its architectural or historic importance. Any work that alters its character — whether inside or out — typically requires Listed Building Consent, and in some cases, full planning permission.
This applies to more than just extensions. Reconfiguring internal layouts, removing original features, changing windows or materials — even work that feels minor — can fall under restrictions. Without the right permissions, homeowners risk enforcement action, delays, or costly rework.
Reasons to involve an Architect
There’s no legal requirement to appoint an architect. But in reality, the complexity of listed building renovation — from documents and drawings required for submission to planning constraints to conservation strategy — makes working with a specialist essential.
At Studio Elle Architecture, we work with homeowners who want to adapt listed buildings in a way that respects the original character while making space for modern living. We design with care and strategy, balancing the needs of our clients with the expectations of conservation officers.
Our work often includes:
• Preparing and submitting applications for Listed Building Consent
• Liaising with conservation officers and local authorities
• Advising on planning strategies in heritage or protected areas
• Designing layouts that support family life while retaining historic character
• Collaborating with trusted heritage consultants, ecologists or engineers when required
For more complex listed properties, we often work in tandem with experienced planning consultants to shape the best possible application strategy. For more modest alterations, Studio Elle prepares and submits listed building consent applications in-house — always in close dialogue with the client.
Recent Projects
A recent success involved the renovation of a Grade II listed apartment in Knightsbridge, where we created a large, light-filled dual-aspect family space by reopening a historic connection between the kitchen and dining room using new pocket doors. Research revealed that the rooms were once linked in the early 20th century — an argument that became key to securing approval.
A current project — a listed thatched cottage in Monxton, Hampshire — involves a collaboration with a heritage consultant, helping the homeowner sensitively reconfigure and extend their property within a conservation area, where the property came with a history of invalidated or withdrawn applications by previous owners – meaning a more robust specialist knowledge of a heritage consultant as part of the team was the most sensible approach.
The Details Matter
In listed building consent applications, how a proposal is communicated is as important as the proposal itself. Drawings must show depth, proportion and context — not just form. We spend time ensuring our submissions feel appropriate and elegant in their setting, minimising questions and concerns raised by the planning and heritage officers.
Alongside visuals, the written argument matters deeply. Successful applications often rest on demonstrating historic logic — reinstating original layouts or materials, or referencing archive evidence that justifies the intervention. Our work is not just about design, but about telling the right story in the right way.
Begin with Confidence
Studio Elle Architecture offers consultations for homeowners looking to renovate or reconfigure a listed home. If you are thinking of creating your dream home, we can guide you through the next steps. We work on listed buildings and heritage homes across London, Surrey, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Devon, Cornwall and the rest of the English countryside — specialising in timeless, design-led architecture that feels appropriate, enduring and deeply personal.
If you’re unsure where to begin, we’re happy to help. Book a consultation here
