Listed Building Windows: What You Can and Can’t Change

If your home is listed, its windows are part of what is protected. You need listed building consent for almost any change that affects the windows’ character, including replacing sashes, changing the glass or swapping timber for uPVC. Repair, draught-proofing and well-designed secondary glazing are the options councils most often support. This guide explains the rules, the usual options and how to apply.

What listing means for your windows

Listing protects the whole building, inside and out, not just its front. Windows are often among its most important features, because historic glass, joinery and glazing patterns are hard to replace. In England, buildings are listed at Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II, and the same consent rules apply to all three grades.

Doing work that affects the character of a listed building without consent is a criminal offence. The council can also require you to put back what was removed, at your own cost, and unauthorised alterations can cause problems when you sell.

What usually needs consent

• Replacing a window, or even a single sash
• Changing single glass to double glazing or vacuum glass
• Changing the material, such as timber to uPVC or aluminium
• Changing the glazing pattern, glazing bars or opening method
• Removing historic glass

What often doesn’t need consent

• Like-for-like repairs using matching materials and methods, such as splicing in new timber or replacing a broken cord
• Repainting in the same colour
• Discreet draught-proofing that does not alter the window’s appearance

Rules and interpretations vary, so check with your council’s conservation officer before starting. If in doubt, ask in writing.

What councils usually support

Option	Typically supported?	Notes
Repair and restoration	Yes	Always the preferred first step
Draught-proofing	Usually	Discreet brush seals are widely accepted
Secondary glazing	Often	Removable, reversible and slim frames aligned with the sash
Vacuum glass in original sashes	Sometimes	Case by case; may be accepted where original glass is not historic
Slim double glazing or new sashes	Sometimes	Usually only where the windows are beyond repair or not original
uPVC windows	Very rarely	Almost always refused

Keeping a listed home warm

You do not have to put up with cold rooms. The combination that is most often approved is:

1. Repair and overhaul the windows.
2. Fit discreet draught-proofing.
3. Add slim, removable secondary glazing on the inside.

Together, these can greatly reduce heat loss and noise while keeping the original windows intact. Heavy curtains and working internal shutters also help.

How to apply for listed building consent

1. Talk to the conservation officer. Many councils offer pre-application advice.
2. Commission a survey of each window, recording its age, condition and any historic glass.
3. Prepare drawings showing the existing and proposed details, including sections through the sashes and glazing bars.
4. Write a heritage statement explaining why the work is needed and how it protects the building’s significance.
5. Submit the application through your council or the Planning Portal. In England there is no fee for listed building consent.

Decisions usually take around eight weeks. Specialist help with drawings and heritage statements is often worth paying for, as it reduces the risk of refusal. Our planning permission guide covers the process in more detail.

Choosing the right specialist

Use a firm that works on listed buildings regularly. Ask:

• Can you show me listed building projects you have completed, with consent?
• Will you prepare the drawings and help with the application?
• Do you repair original timber and glass rather than replace them?
• Do you offer secondary glazing designed for historic windows?

Find conservation and listed building specialists near you. If your home is in a conservation area but not listed, see replacing sash windows in a conservation area instead.

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace windows in a listed building?

Only with listed building consent. Councils normally expect original windows to be repaired, and allow replacement only where they are beyond repair or not historic.

Can I have double glazing in a listed building?

Sometimes, but it is often refused for original windows. Secondary glazing and, in some cases, vacuum glass in the existing sashes are more likely to be approved.

Can I put uPVC windows in a Grade II listed building?

Almost never. uPVC changes the appearance and character of the windows and is very rarely approved on a listed building.

Do I need consent for secondary glazing in a listed building?

Often, yes, although it is usually supported if it is slim, removable and aligned with the existing sashes. Check with your conservation officer.

Is there a fee for listed building consent?

In England there is no fee for a listed building consent application, although you may pay for drawings and a heritage statement.