Council offers pre-application advice to encourage listed building retrofit works

Owners and occupiers of listed buildings who are interested in improving the energy efficiency of their property can get early bespoke advice following the launch of a new pre-application service by Bath & North East Somerset Council.

The Service Level 0 pre-application advice service gives owners and occupiers the opportunity to discuss possible measures with the council’s conservation officer at the initial stages of a potential retrofit project, before they start to prepare more detailed plans.

As part of the service, a conservation officer will undertake a site visit to the listed building and issue a report outlining the suitability of various retrofit measures and recommended next steps. Measures could include draughtproofing, secondary glazing, external wall insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, or internal wall, loft and/or floor insulation. Advice will also include ‘quick wins’ that may not require listed building consent. The Service Level 0 pre-application will cost £66.

Image: Solar panels on a roof in Bath, credit Invest in Bath

Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy council leader and cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “The Service Level 0 pre-application gives owners an early opportunity to engage in an informal discussion around how to make their listed building more energy efficient. It focuses on reducing energy use and associated costs and making the building more comfortable, while at the same time protecting the qualities that makes these buildings special and supporting our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030.”

The Service Level 0 pre-application is being piloted as part of the Green Heritage Homes project led by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bath Preservation Trust, the Centre for Sustainable Energy and People Powered Retrofit.

The project aims to improve understanding of energy efficiency works to listed buildings by developing experience and confidence among householders and professionals and showcasing positive examples of retrofit across the district.

As part of the project, the council and BWCE are looking for owners and occupiers of listed buildings to become ‘Listed Building Energy Champions’ and help inspire others by taking part in case studies and sharing information on energy use.

‘Champions’ gain access to discounted listed building surveys including a site visit by a Bath and North East Somerset Council conservation officer and a Futureproof Survey for their home produced by a BWCE retrofit surveyor. Discounted costs to become a champion start at £100 for a one-to-two bed home. Find out more about Listed Building Champions and the benefits on the BWCE website.

The Green Heritage Homes project is funded with £344,308 from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, working with the South West Net Zero Hub through the government’s Local Energy Advice Demonstrator Programme (LEAD). Service Level 0 pre-applications will be part of the Green Heritage Homes project until the end of March 2025.

The Service Level 0 pre-application is exclusive to listed buildings (Grade II, II* and I).

Interested homeowners can apply for the Service Level 0 pre-application on the council website, or contact the conservation officer alexandra_best@bathnes.gov.uk to find out more.