A heritage statement for your London listed building or conservation area, £539
If your house is listed, or stands in a conservation area, the council wants to read why it matters before it reads what you plan. We write that statement: what is significant, what your scheme changes and why the change is justified. One fee, £539.
- £539, fixed, no separate survey fee
- Significance and impact written up
- Free redraws until approval
What does a heritage statement cost?
The fee is £539, with no survey fee and no VAT to add. It covers the research, a site visit, the written statement and its illustrations, and we update it free if the council asks for more. Listed building consent is not charged by councils that apply the national schedule, so the application itself costs nothing in fees.
What the £539 covers
- A search of the listing entry, the historic environment record, old maps and the conservation area appraisal
- A site visit to photograph and record the features that matter, inside and out
- A statement of significance: what is special, who says so, and where the value lies
- An assessment of what your proposal changes, element by element, and why the harm, if any, is justified
- The statement in a form that goes with the drawings, ready for the council’s validation list
- Replies to the conservation officer, with free changes until approval
When do I need a heritage statement?
Whenever your project touches a designated heritage asset. The national policy says an application should be accompanied by an assessment of the significance of the assets affected and the contribution their setting makes (policy HE5). That covers a listed building, a conservation area, and the setting of a listed neighbour.
Many councils put the statement on their validation list, so without it the application is not registered. A short project on a modest house needs a short statement. A basement under a Grade II* terrace needs a longer one. The policy says the detail should be proportionate, and we write to that.
What the council is weighing
Two statutory duties do the work. For a listed building the council must have special regard to preserving the building and its setting (section 66). In a conservation area it must pay special attention to preserving or enhancing the area’s character or appearance (section 72).
A good statement does not argue that nothing changes. It says what is significant, what your scheme alters and what is kept, and it explains why any harm is outweighed. That is what a conservation officer looks for.
- Which features carry the significance: plan form, fabric, decoration, setting
- Which of them your scheme touches, and which it leaves alone
- Alternatives you considered and why you chose this one
- The public benefit, where there is harm
Statement, Design and Access Statement and drawings
The heritage statement explains the building. A Design and Access Statement explains your design, and it is required for listed building consent and for most schemes in a conservation area (gov.uk). The drawings show the work. We write the first, can write the second and draw the third, so the three agree. For the drawings, see planning drawings.
What the law and policy ask for
- Policy HE5
- The national policy says an application affecting heritage assets should come with an assessment of their significance, including the contribution made by their setting. NPPF chapter 20, policy HE5
- Proportionate
- The level of detail must be proportionate to the importance of the assets. NPPF chapter 20, policy HE5
- HER
- The relevant historic environment record should be referred to in making the assessment. NPPF chapter 20, policy HE5
- Section 66
- In deciding applications affecting a listed building or its setting, the council must have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting. Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, s.66(1)
- Section 72
- In a conservation area, special attention must be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance. Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, s.72(1)
- 100 m²
- A Design and Access Statement is needed for one or more dwellings, or a building of 100 m² or more, in a conservation area or World Heritage Site, and with every listed building consent application. gov.uk, Making an application
- No fee
- The national fee schedule lists no current fee for a listed building consent application. National fee schedule from 1 April 2026, published by Bradford Council
Heritage statement questions
Do I need a heritage statement if I am only in a conservation area?
If your work affects the character or appearance of the conservation area, the policy expects an assessment of its significance, in proportion to the work.
Source: NPPF chapter 20, policy HE5
Is a listed building consent application free?
On the national schedule there is no fee for it. Our statement costs £539, and drawings are extra.
Is the survey fee added?
No. The statement is £539 with no survey fee.
Do I need a Design and Access Statement too?
For listed building consent, yes. In a conservation area it is needed for one or more dwellings or a building of 100 m² or more.
Source: gov.uk, Making an application
Can the statement guarantee consent?
No. It sets out the case clearly, and the council decides. We redraw and rewrite free until approval.
Other services people book with this one
Is your house listed or in a conservation area?
Send the address and describe the work. We check the listing and the area, and reply with a fixed fee.