House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Listed Buildings Protection

19 July 2022 · 3 other contributors · 4,558 words

Opened by Paul Maynard Con Blackpool North and Cleveleys

Responding minister: Not recorded

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Paul Maynard raised concerns about listed buildings protection in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.

Key points

Paul Maynard raises concerns about the protection of modern buildings under the UK listing system.
He notes uncertainty among local planning authorities regarding when to notify national amenity societies for listed building consent applications.
Maynard calls for interim listing protection and a rolling programme of automatic assessment based on amenity societies' recommendations.

Key requests to Government

Maynard urges the Government to consider introducing interim listing protection, expanding thematic studies of buildings from different eras, and enhancing local listings to provide more consistent protection across various local authorities. He also calls for a rolling programme of automatic assessment based on amenity societies' recommendations to safeguard threatened structures.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Paul Maynard Con Blackpool North and Cleveleys

Paul Maynard is concerned about the protection of modern buildings under the listing system. He points out that there is often uncertainty among local planning authorities regarding when to notify national amenity societies of applications for listed building consent. There are also systemic issues preventing interim protection for buildings while a listing assessment process is ongoing, which can lead to deliberate damage or demolition by owners hoping to redevelop sites. Maynard highlights the 30-year rule as outdated and insufficient in protecting modern architecture that may have historical significance despite its relatively short lifespan. He cites examples such as Sainsbury's branch in Greenwich demolished after only 17 years.

Other contributors (3)

Craig Mackinlay

He thanked Paul Maynard for securing this debate on listed building protection and discussed the variability between different local authorities regarding decisions on renovations and repairs. He mentioned delays in local authorities and lack of VAT relief on repairs, adding that such inconsistencies need to be addressed.
Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight the importance of historic buildings locally or provincially, but he also raised concerns about financial assistance for developers and owners of listed buildings.
Oliver Heald LD North East Hertfordshire

My hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys mentioned cricket ball manufacture. Does the Minister find it encouraging that the original cricket ball manufacturing factory in Penshurst for the Duke ball is, in fact, listed?