The Listing Process

How can I apply for listing?

Anyone can recommend a building, site, monument, designed landscape, battlefield or wreck site for inclusion on the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) through our online application form. You can use the same form to apply to amend or remove entries from the NHLE, apply for a Certificate of Immunity from Listing or notify us about a Building Preservation Notice. You can find out more on the Apply for Listing page.

To find out how to request a small change to a list entry (for example, correcting a spelling mistake), see our Minor Amendments page.

What happens after I submit my application?

Validation

• Once we receive your application, we’ll check that you have provided us with enough information (including images) to show that the building or site you are recommending is eligible
• Your local Listing team will notify you if we cannot take your application forward because it is not eligible or does not meet the application criteria

Initial assessment

• Based on the information provided in the application, we'll carry out an initial assessment to decide whether or not the building or site would justify further investigation
• If we consider that a building or site does not meet the criteria, we’ll produce a report, setting out the reasons for our decision
• If the application was for listing or scheduling, the report will be signed off by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (the DCMS). All reports are published on the Heritage Gateway. Notification letters are also sent to the applicant and local planning authority, including a copy of our report

Full assessment and consultation

• If we decide the application requires further investigation, we'll carry out a full assessment, including further research. This may include a site visit and a period of consultation. See further details about the consultation process below

Final decision

• Once the consultation period has finished, we’ll consider all the information and representations received and produce a final advice report with our recommendation
• In listing, scheduling and protection of wreck cases this report is submitted to the DCMS for consideration
• Decisions on whether or not a park, garden or battlefield should be registered will be made by Historic England
• Everyone who has been consulted on a case will be informed of the final decision and sent a copy of our recommendation report

How long does the process take?

The length of the assessment process can vary depending on external factors and the complexity of the case. The timelines below are therefore intended as targets only.

• We aim to complete our assessments within 6 months of receipt of your application. However, if the building or site is under threat this will be reduced
• If there are known delays in the assessment process (for instance, due to a particularly large volume of applications), we may communicate this through a 'please note' label at the top of the Apply for Listing page
• Once we have completed our assessment we'll send our advice report detailing our recommendation to the DCMS. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport aims to make decisions on most of our recommendations within 10 working days of receipt of our advice
• Sometimes more complex cases can take longer to decide. For cases where a decision is not possible within 10 days, DCMS keep us informed of progress and expected timescales
• If your case is being dealt with through our Enhanced Advisory Service we provide our advice to the DCMS within a guaranteed time frame (usually 12 to 14 weeks). The DCMS will then aim to make decisions on our recommendations within the time frame explained above

Our regional listing teams and the listing enquiries helpdesk can be contacted if there are questions about the process. However, please note that Historic England does not decide designation applications, but makes recommendations to the DCMS Secretary of State, who is the decision maker.

Who makes the final decision?

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport:

• Makes the final decision when it comes to listing a building, scheduling a monument or protecting a wreck site
• Decides whether a building, a monument or a wreck can be removed from the NHLE or whether a List entry can be amended
• Decides whether a Certificate of Immunity from Listing (COI) should be issued

Historic England:

• Makes the decision when it comes to registering a park, garden or battlefield
• We also decide whether a park, garden or battlefield can be removed from the NHLE or whether a List entry for a park, garden or battlefield can be amended

The Consultation Process

As part of the full assessment stage, we will consult with all relevant parties. An initial report setting out the background and history of the building or site is sent to the following consultees: 

• The owner 
• The local planning authority/national park authority
• The Historic Environment Record Officer 
• The applicant
• Other relevant parties 

Everyone is given the opportunity to comment on the facts set out in the report and invited to respond, usually within 21 days from the date of the consultation letter. Following consultation, we’ll consider all representations before finalising our recommendation. 

For help with responding to a consultation, see our guidance below.

Although we will follow this process in the majority of cases, if it can be demonstrated that the building or site is at substantial risk of imminent damage or destruction, then we may choose not to notify or consult. 

Consulting with Amenity Societies

Amenity societies are voluntary organisations with specialisms in particular aspects of the historic environment. The societies are a source of expertise who can provide advice and information.   

The JCNAS (Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies) brings together a group of national societies interested in the historic environment.  Seven organisations form its core membership: Historic Buildings & Places, Council for British Archaeology, Gardens Trust, Georgian Group, Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), Twentieth Century Society and Victorian Society.   

Organisations included as ‘other relevant parties’ when we consult may include: 

• Historic Buildings and Places, for delisting and COIs 
• The Twentieth Century Society, for large Twentieth-century buildings 
• Cinema Theatre Association, for cinema cases 
• The Theatres Trust, for theatre cases 
• Baptist Union Listed Buildings Advisory Committee, for Baptist church and chapel cases 
• Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, for Roman Catholic churches 
• The Methodist Church Property Support Team, for Methodist Churches 

This list is not exhaustive, there are other organisations we may consult with depending on the type of building.

Can I apply to have a building de-listed?

As well as applying for listing, you can use the application form to ask us to consider removing an entry from the NHLE. If you’re considering applying for de-listing, please bear in mind that a building or site can only be de-listed if it is no longer of special interest. We can't consider any other factors. You can find more information in our De-listing Guide. 

How can I challenge a decision?

The process for challenging a decision will depend on how far your application got through the process and if you are applying in relation to a listing or scheduling decision or about a park, garden, or battlefield.

If it’s been decided not to proceed with your application, then your first point of call will be your local Listing team. Contact details are shown in the notification letter or by contacting your local office.

If your application has been taken to an initial or full assessment and you want a final decision to be reviewed, you need to contact the body who made the decision:

Listing or Scheduling

To challenge a listing or a scheduling decision, you can use the relevant form to contact DCMS within 28 consecutive days of the date of the decision notification letter. A review request must be received by the Department within that 28-day period, preferably by email, on the Department’s Review Request Form. The Department does not extend this deadline except in exceptional circumstances. Please complete the relevant form on the DCMS website:

• Listing Review Request Form
• Scheduling Review Request Form

Registration of Parks, Gardens or Battlefields

To challenge a decision about parks, gardens or battlefields, please contact us within 28 consecutive days of the date of the decision notification letter. Requests made beyond this 28-day period will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Please read the guidance notes before completing and returning the registration review form to [email protected]:

Certificates of Immunity (COIs)

Should DCMS be minded to grant a COI, we’ll send out a letter on their behalf informing all parties who will then have 28 days in which to appeal to DCMS for a review. Representations can be submitted to the Listing Review Officer at DCMS, either by post or by email at [email protected].

After this period, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will formalise their decision. If a COI is issued this cannot be challenged or revoked.

Where can I find out about buildings or sites that haven’t been listed?

You can find information on buildings and sites that we’ve assessed, but which have not been added to the National Heritage List for England, on the Heritage Gateway. This site allows you to cross-search over 60 different heritage resources, including Historic England’s records. You can find out why a decision has been made to not designate a building or site along with the reasons why others have been delisted (only for decisions made after 12 November 2012). 

Where can I get help and support? 

Listing Helpdesk: [email protected] 

Contact your local Listing team.