Listed Buildings

Three Rivers District has 350 listed buildings and structures. A listed building is one which appears on the statutory list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest, compiled by the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport on advice from English Heritage and others. Listing is a means of earmarking our most important buildings and giving them special protection.

A building is always listed as a whole, including the interior. Listing also includes any object or structure fixed to the building, and any object or structure within the curtilage of the building which, although not fixed to the building, forms part of the land and has done so since before 1st July 1948.

Listed buildings are graded to show their relative importance:

• Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest (2%)
• Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest (4%)
• Grade II are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them. (94%)

Protection applies equally to all grades.

More information on whether a building is listed is available on the Planning Online System

To see the full list of listed properties in Three Rivers, please click on this link which leads you to the Historic England website.

National listing criteria are available from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport website. Additional consideration from the conservation perspective is given to the alteration of these buildings in these notes.

List of Locally Important Buildings

These are buildings which although they might not qualify for National listing criteria are of local architectural or historic importance. A list of such buildings has been compiled by the Council and from time to time may be added to.

Locally Important Buildings are not afforded the protection that Listed Buildings are. For example, there is no legal requirement for permission to be sought to demolish a Locally Important Building unless it is in a Conservation Area or subject to an Article 4 Direction.

Therefore the inclusion of a building on the local list does not automatically enable the Council to prevent the building from being redeveloped or demolished in future.

The purpose of including buildings on this list is to encourage their retention by ensuring that where planning permission is required, for alterations or extensions for example, that the proposed changes do not adversely affect the character or appearance of the building.

The List of Locally Important Buildings can be viewed here.

Criteria for Additions to the List of Locally Important Buildings can be viewed here.

The Three Rivers policy on conservation is part of the Local Plan.

The Historic Buildings Grant Scheme

The Historic Buildings Grant Scheme exists to encourage appropriate repairs to buildings of architectural or historic interest within the Three Rivers District, by helping with the costs involved and making advice available.

Priority is given to Listed Buildings. Other buildings in Conservation Areas or buildings which form part of the heritage of the District may be eligible, subject to funds being available.  The scheme is intended to promote the repair and restoration of privately owned buildings.

Historic Parks and Gardens

Three Rivers has one Historic Park and Garden.  A registered park and garden is one which appears on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest compiled by English Heritage. Registration does not entail extra legal controls (unlike listing of buildings or designation of conservation areas), but it does mean that special consideration is given to the landscape in the planning process. Historic parks and gardens (like listed buildings) are graded to show their relative importance.

Archaeological Sites of Importance

Archaeological remains of national importance may be protected by "scheduling" under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (as amended). This protection is similar to the protection for listed buildings and you should check with the Council before carrying out any work.