Listed building grades: what I, II* and II mean for planning

England has around 380,000 listed building entries on the National Heritage List, covering everything from medieval churches and stately homes to Victorian post boxes and 20th-century telephone kiosks. One entry can cover several structures, such as a terrace or a wall with its gate piers, so the number of individual buildings is higher. Listing is the system used to identify and protect buildings of special architectural or historic interest. This guide explains the three grades, what listing means in practice, and how it affects owners.

It is about England. Wales and Scotland grade buildings differently (see the end of this guide).

What is listing?

Listing is a legal designation made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, acting on the advice of Historic England. A listed building is one on the statutory list kept under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

When a building is listed, the whole structure is protected, not just the exterior. That includes the interior, fixtures and fittings of interest, and any object or structure within the curtilage (the grounds) that has been there since before 1 July 1948.

The three grades

Counts below are from Historic England's National Heritage List for England as at 19 October 2026.

Grade I

Grade I buildings are of "exceptional interest". About 2.5% of listed buildings (9,341 entries) are Grade I. Examples include:

Canterbury Cathedral
The Palace of Westminster
Blenheim Palace
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton

Works affecting these buildings get the highest scrutiny from the local planning authority. The council must notify Historic England of every listed building consent application for a Grade I or II* building.

Grade II*

Grade II* (Grade two star) buildings are "particularly important buildings of more than special interest". About 5.8% of listed buildings (22,127 entries) are Grade II*. Examples include many parish churches, significant country houses, notable civic buildings and some important industrial structures.

As with Grade I, councils must notify Historic England of every listed building consent application for these buildings.

Grade II

Grade II buildings are of "special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them". The great majority, about 91.7% (348,217 entries), are Grade II. This covers:

Georgian and Victorian townhouses
Farmhouses and barns
Pubs, shops and commercial buildings
Walls, gates and other structures
Milestones, war memorials and street furniture

For most works to Grade II buildings, the council decides without notifying Historic England. The exception is the most significant works, such as demolishing a principal building. Owners and agents can still ask Historic England for pre-application advice.

How listing affects what you can do

Listed building consent

The main practical effect of listing is the need for listed building consent (LBC) for any works that would affect the character of the building as one of special architectural or historic interest.

This includes:

Internal alterations: removing walls, changing layouts, replacing historic features, altering staircases or fireplaces
External alterations: changing windows, doors, roofing materials or render, or any other change to the exterior
Extensions: any extension or addition
Demolition: total or partial

LBC is a separate consent from planning permission. For many works you will need both. For purely internal alterations you may need only LBC, because the planning system does not normally control internal works.

The test for listed building consent

The decision-maker must have "special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses" (section 16(2) of the 1990 Act).

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), republished on 17 August 2026, puts the national policy test in its historic environment chapter (policies HE4 to HE6). In plain terms:

Substantial weight goes to conserving a designated heritage asset, and more weight the more important the asset is.
Any harm needs "a clear and convincing justification" (HE4), and is weighed against the public benefits of the proposal (HE6). Benefits can include securing the long-term reuse of a vacant listed building, or improving energy efficiency.
Substantial harm or total loss should be refused unless it is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh it, or a set of four tests about use, marketing, funding and re-use is met.
For substantial harm or total loss, the bar is "exceptional" for a Grade II building and "wholly exceptional" for Grade I and II*.

The 2026 text no longer uses the phrase "less than substantial harm". Older guides, including earlier versions of this one, did. If you are reading an architect's heritage statement that cites the old wording or numbered paragraphs, check it against the current policy codes.

Permitted development

Listing removes or restricts several permitted development rights. In particular, installing solar panels or a satellite dish on a listed building will normally need listed building consent, because it affects the building's character. External alterations that would affect character need LBC even where they would otherwise be permitted development.

Listing does not remove every freedom. Genuine minor repairs using matching materials do not normally need consent.

The setting of listed buildings

The setting of a listed building is a material planning consideration. Development on neighbouring land that would affect the setting can be refused or changed on heritage grounds, even if the listed building itself is not touched.

"Setting" is broad. It covers the surroundings in which a building is experienced, including views, sounds and the general character of the area, not only immediate neighbours.

Common practical questions

Can I replace windows in a listed building?

Usually you need LBC. In most cases the council expects like-for-like replacement using matching materials (timber for timber, single glazing for single glazing). Secondary glazing, an extra internal window, is often more acceptable than replacing original windows with double-glazed units. Each case is judged on its merits.

Can I install central heating or rewire?

Minor works may not need LBC if they do not affect the building's character. Chasing walls for cables, fixing radiators to historic panelling or routing pipework through decorative ceilings could affect character and may need consent. Speak to the council's conservation officer first.

What happens if I do works without consent?

Carrying out works without LBC is a criminal offence under section 9 of the 1990 Act. On conviction in a magistrates' court the penalty can be up to six months in prison, a fine, or both. In the Crown Court it can be up to two years, a fine, or both. The council can also require you to reverse the work. The offence applies whether or not you knew the building was listed.

Can a building be delisted?

Rarely. A building can be removed from the list if it no longer meets the criteria, for example if it has been so altered that its special interest has been lost. You can ask Historic England to consider removing or amending an entry, and listing decisions can be reviewed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport within 28 days of the decision letter. The bar is high.

How to check if a building is listed

Check a site free: check a site free shows which council covers the address and whether it is in a conservation area. Listed building findings, with the grade and source, are in the £9.99 site report, which covers everything we can check within 500 m of your pin, for 30 days.
The National Heritage List for England: Historic England's official National Heritage List is searchable by address, name or location, and is the definitive source.
Local authority search: if you are buying, the CON29 search your solicitor orders after your offer is accepted will confirm whether a property is listed.

We show what we found, what came back clear, and where a source couldn't be checked. Some councils don't publish every dataset, so ask the council where it matters. Listed building data comes from Historic England, not council submissions.

Wales and Scotland

Wales grades listed buildings I, II* and II, and Cadw is the heritage body. Scotland uses categories A, B and C, and Historic Environment Scotland is the body, with its own consent regime. The consent rules and policy tests above are English.

Summary

There are three grades in England: I (exceptional), II* (particularly important) and II (special interest)
Listed building consent is needed for any works affecting the building's character, including internal changes
The entire building is protected, not just the exterior
Doing works without consent is a criminal offence
The setting of a listed building is also protected

Check a site free to see which council covers it, then open the £9.99 site report for the listed building findings.

Sources

Historic England: National Heritage List for England (NHLE) feature service, queried 19 October 2026: 379,685 listed building entries (Grade I 9,341; II* 22,127; II 348,217)
National Planning Policy Framework (17 August 2026), chapter 20, policies HE4 to HE6
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 9
Arrangements for Handling Heritage Applications: Notification Direction 2015
IHBC: DCMS guidance on requesting a review of a listing decision