Spot listing requests
You may also wish to read our more detailed guidance particularly Understanding Listing.
Introduction
Buildings are listed when they are considered to be of special architectural or historic interest. Listed buildings are nationally important historic assets which represent a unique source of information about the past, and which make a valuable contribution to the quality and character of landscapes and townscapes in Wales.
The Welsh Minsters have a statutory duty to maintain a list of buildings which are of special architectural or historic interest in Wales. The process of listing is managed by Cadw. The selection of buildings for listing is always based on their special architectural or historic interest in line with published criteria.
The purpose of listing is to guide local planning authorities in the performance of their planning functions and to ensure that careful consideration is given to individual buildings which are of special interest before planning decisions are taken. Listing does not prevent change, but it does help to ensure that it is carefully managed through the Listed Building Consent regime.
Making a spot-listing request
There are already over 30,000 listed buildings in Wales, but buildings can still be added to the statutory list. Anybody may ask Cadw to consider whether a building meets the criteria for listing. If you think that a building should be protected through listing, you should submit a spot-listing request to Cadw at cadw@gov.wales.
Before submitting your request, it is a good idea to check whether the building is already listed, by going to Cof Cymru | National Historic Assets of Wales (the List).
It may also be a good idea to talk to your local conservation officer before contacting Cadw.
If a building has previously been rejected for listing, only new evidence will normally be considered. Buildings which are less than 30 years old will only be considered if they are of exceptional quality and under imminent threat.
When submitting your request, you should include the following information:
- name, address / location of the building, preferably with post code and map reference
- contact details for the owner / occupier, if known
- recent photos showing the building’s current condition – exterior, and interior if possible; and historic photos
- historical information about the building — date of construction, original use and historical development (if known), special architectural features, and any people or events associated with it. Let us know what sources you have used to find out about it
- reasons why you think the building may meet the criteria for listing
- let Cadw know if the building is under threat, but bear in mind that proposals for spot-listing when buildings are under imminent threat of alteration or demolition can have serious practical and financial consequences. It is always better to alert us to a building’s potential special interest before threat materialises.
What happens next
When Cadw receives your request, the information that you have provided will be carefully considered as part of a desk assessment. If there is interest, we will ask our inspector to visit the property. We may need to undertake additional research in order to fully understand the building and help us to establish whether or not it is of special interest. This can be time-consuming but requests to list will normally be completed within six months.
If the Welsh Ministers propose to include a building on the list, they must consult the owner and occupier of the building and the relevant local planning authority. The building has interim protection from the beginning of the consultation period. Owners and occupiers have an opportunity to request a review of the Welsh Ministers’ decision to list a building.
How buildings are chosen
The main criteria used to decide whether buildings should be included on the statutory lists are special Architectural Interest and special Historic Interest.
The list is meant to include all buildings which are of importance to the nation for the interest of their architectural design, decoration and craftsmanship; and / or important examples of particular building type, plan, form and technique. Historic interest includes buildings that illustrate important aspects of the nation’s social, economic, cultural, or military history.
Close historical associations with people or events of importance to Wales are a valid consideration but there should usually be some quality or interest in the physical fabric of the building itself to justify the statutory protection afforded by listing.
Buildings may also be included for Group Value: especially where buildings contribute an important architectural or historic unity or are fine examples of planning (for example, town squares or model farms) but again, there should be individual special interest.
More information about the criteria is published in Planning Policy Wales Technical Advice Note 24: the Historic Environment.
