Last year in April, the government made plans to evaluate the practical planning barriers to installing energy efficiency measures such as improved glazing to buildings in conservation areas, and listed buildings as part of its British Energy Security Strategy. The review also included works to help buildings adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as solar shading.
The results highlighted the need for special rules for protecting designated historic buildings. It also noted that obtaining planning permission or listed building consent took “too long”; sometimes leading to the loss of financial support or the avoidance of energy efficiency measures altogether due to a "perception that the planning process is too complex and uncertain to navigate”.
New guidance on Adapting historic homes for energy efficiency outlines how the appropriate retrofit of historic buildings is part of the solution to achieving net-zero. As such as part of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, National Development Management Policies (NDMP) will be introduced into the planning system. It states: “In doing so, this will help to ensure greater certainty and consistency about decisions on applications for energy efficiency improvements affecting listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas across England".
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, comments how "Historic buildings can and must accommodate change if they are to play a crucial role in helping the UK to transition to net zero" and how the review shows that "heritage needn’t be a barrier and identifies opportunities to unlock the potential of historic buildings in England to contribute to meeting our net zero target.”
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