Last week I wrote about the general problems that the Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCS) believes are facing owners of listed buildings as a result of the 2000 Planning Act. This week the focus is on some technical issues that need adjustment if the planning legislation is to operate satisfactorily. The first issue is to create different listing categories - currently there is one category, which can apply to any thing from a mansion to railway cottage. We should move to a UK-type system where categories range up to a total listing (applying only to buildings of significant architectural or historic merit). The second category might include the structure of a building, but not internal elements while the third category would include façades but not other elements. A fourth may be a special element of a building - a ceiling, or fireplace. The fifth category could be garden features.
