Owning a Grade 2 listed building is often the dream for many homeowners. But even when that dream becomes reality, there can be restrictions and caveats in place around any structural or aesthetic changes to your property. While these can limit your options for extending, some choices can enhance and enlarge your home, including glass extensions, that add a modern and contemporary space while retaining the features of your listed property.

What is a Grade 2 listed building?

There can often be some misunderstandings about what constitutes a listed building. But, in simple terms, a building achieves listed status when it’s considered to have a special cultural, architectural, or historic interest or is of national importance.

This decision is made by the UK government, as advised by Historic England, and the building is added to the National Heritage List for England for preservation. As a result, buildings can receive extra legal protections from standard planning processes.

Categories of listed buildings

While Grade 2 is the most common listed building status, in England, there are three categories and these come in order of significance:

Grade 1

Awarded only to exceptional buildings of historic, national importance and interest, such as Buckingham Palace. Only around 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade 1.

Grade 2*

Awarded to important buildings of special historic and national interest. Around 6% of listed buildings are Grade 2*.

Grade 2

Awarded to buildings of special interest, Grade 2 listed buildings account for 92% of all listed buildings, if your home is officially listed, this will be its most likely status.

Why do I need permission before building an extension?

All listed buildings come under special status, so you can’t make changes as you would on a standard property. For listed buildings, building consent is needed for any demolition, alteration, and extension where it might change its appearance or character as a building of special interest – in fact, it’s a criminal offence to do so without permission.

This means applying for listed building consent with your local planning authority (LPA), who will assess your application and decide whether or not you can go ahead, as well as receive planning permission for your extension. Your LPA may also need to work with Historic England on certain applications.

What should I include in my extension application?

Your extension application process can be a long one. But to avoid unnecessary delays, there are key documents you’ll need, together with plenty of supporting documents and statements, so the LPA can fully understand what you want to achieve. These include:

• Your completed listed building consent application
• Location and site plans
• A Design and Access Statement (if required)
• A Heritage Impact Assessment

You may also be asked for additional information such as details on your property’s grade listing, a statement of your interest in the building, and the persons involved. It can help to discuss your plans with your LPA for ‘pre-application advice’ before sending in your application so you have as much information as possible before you get started.

Principles for extending a listed house

All listed buildings will have their own individual characteristics, with some being more suited to modification than others. To guide you in this, there are some basic principles you should follow for a successful project.

• The design, materials, and construction of your extension should echo the listed building
• The design shouldn’t damage or harm the original listed building’s significance or special interest
• The extension design shouldn’t overpower the original building which should always remain the dominant feature
• The extension should add value to the significance of the original building through good design, expert craftsmanship, and authentic materials

Taking a design approach for your extension

For any extension, its design is crucial, especially for listed properties. But its style will usually complement the original building in most aspects, including proportions, form, detail, and materials. This is known as assertive contrast, where old and new come together for a sense of consistency.

In other instances, contemporary design can provide deferential contrast, where the new doesn’t overwhelm the old. And the perfect deferential contrast can come in the style of a contemporary glass extension.

Why choose a glass extension?

As a contemporary focal point, a glass extension allows you to create an additional living space that doesn’t attempt to disguise anything and displays a clear distinction between old and new.

Offering a beautifully bespoke and contemporary space for multiple uses thanks to the frameless design, a glass extension gives you a feature room flooded with natural light and fit for any use, while highlighting the features of the original building.

Types of glass extensions

You may well have a defined idea of the type of glass extension design you want for your home, but there’s a wide range of different options to choose from. While each gives you a stunning, modern finish, they can also offer you something quite different. Popular glass extensions include:

• Frameless glass extensions
• Glass box extensions
• Glass kitchen extension
• Contemporary glass extension

For more information on the differences and which might be best suited to your Grade 2 listed property, contact us today and send us a message.

Advantages of a glass extension

Beyond its minimalist and ultra-modern aesthetics, there are plenty of additional advantages that make a glass extension a confident and bold choice for any listed property, including:

Versatility – They can extend your home for multiple uses, from a kitchen and dining space to an airy living space, or a stylish dining room.

Natural light – They will expand your chosen living space indoors, flooding it with natural light to give you the very real sense of being outside.

Add value – Unlike a standard conservatory, a glass extension can add value to your listed property should you wish to sell in the years ahead.

Temperature controlled – Thanks to specialist, high thermal performance glass, your glass extension can be an all-year-round space.

Planner’s choice – For Grade 2 listed properties, a glass extension is a preferred option for many LPA officers and planners.

Glass extension costs

Just like any other extension, there are cost implications for a glass extension to your listed property. Prices will vary depending on the size, shape, and complexity of your design, but can range from around £14,000 to £75,000 and upwards. For a more accurate cost breakdown, please contact us for your free quote.

Let GlasSpace help extend your listed building

With plenty to think about before you extend your home, glass extensions on Grade 2 listed buildings may be more challenging, but they’re certainly not impossible. So for the design and construction of a contemporary glass extension for your Grade 2 listed property, talk to GlasSpace.

We have the knowledge, insight, and experience to create the perfect glass extension for your listed home and can give you the specialist advice you need. For more information on transforming your listed property, contact us today to get your no-obligation, free quote.