Criteria for Listing Consultation

In March 2010 the Department issued revised Criteria for Listing. This followed a consultation we issued in April 2010. The new criteria (.PDF 198Kb) are published as a revision to Annex C of Planning Policy Statement 6 and clarify the approach which we will take in assessing buildings for listing.

The main changes over previous criteria are:

• for the first time the internal criteria referenced on our listing reports, (as published on this website), are included
• the sections on historic interest have been significantly expanded and arranged in order of importance
• advice on how we assess the importance of groups of buildings has been explained better
• all of the existing document has been reviewed and revised with the aim of improving clarity

Procedural issues associated with listing have also been clarified and some topics of note are:

• the approach taken when a building has been subject to planning permission has been explained for the first time
• the relative importance of updated evaluations for buildings reviewed since 1997 is clarified
• the relation of statutory listing to local listing is explained
• procedures for delisting are clarified

The criteria are based on legislative requirements set out in Article 42 of the Planning (NI) Order (1991). These have not been altered.

In 2009 we carried out a  detailed review (.PDF 833Kb) of the previous criteria. This informed the subsequent consultation. The review looked at issues which had arisen and also the approach taken in the rest of the UK and Ireland. It provides a detailed background to our consideration. The final document has been further refined to take into account public comments.