Grade I · Grade II* · Grade II · Conservation areas
Windows for Listed Buildings
Replacing windows in a listed building needs listed building consent — and windows that match the originals. We make bespoke timber sash and casement windows for heritage properties, with matched profiles, solid glazing bars and slim double glazing, and supply the technical drawings your application needs. Part of our range of bespoke timber windows.
From £449+VAT
Profile drawings for LBC
Slim double or single glazing
Solid through glazing bars
Pine, meranti or solid oak
5-year warranty
The basics
Can You Replace Windows in a Listed Building?
Yes — but almost always only with listed building consent (LBC). Replacing windows affects the character of a listed building, so consent is needed even when the existing windows are modern replacements, such as uPVC fitted before the building was listed or without permission. LBC is separate from planning permission: a different application, judged on different criteria, decided by your local planning authority with the conservation officer as the key adviser.
In England an LBC application is free to submit, and the statutory decision period is 8 weeks, although complex cases often take longer. Carrying out works to a listed building without consent is a criminal offence under section 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, so get consent agreed before you order. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own systems — check the process with your local authority.
Most authorities will first ask whether the existing windows can be repaired. A replacement application is strongest when it shows the originals are beyond economic repair, or that they are later, unsympathetic replacements — and when the new windows copy the historic design accurately.
Listing grades
Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II Listed Windows
The grade tells you how much flexibility to expect. Most listed homes are Grade II, where well-detailed timber replacements with slim double glazing may be approved. At Grade I and II*, officers are more likely to insist on repair, single glazing or secondary glazing.
| Status | Share of listed buildings | What it usually means for windows |
|---|---|---|
| Grade I | About 2% | Buildings of exceptional interest. Repair strongly favoured; replacement only where essential, often single glazed or with secondary glazing. |
| Grade II* | About 6% | Particularly important buildings. Replacement judged case by case; slim double glazing possible on less sensitive elevations. |
| Grade II | About 92% | Special interest — most homes. Timber replacements with matched profiles, solid bars and slim double glazing may be approved. |
| Conservation area (not listed) | — | No LBC needed, but planning permission may be required to change front-elevation windows if an Article 4 direction applies. Check with your council. |
Not sure whether your property is listed? Search the official National Heritage List for England, or ask your council’s conservation team.
The application
Listed Building Consent for Windows: What to Submit
The conservation officer’s job is to make sure changes respect the building’s historic character — not to stop you doing things, but to make sure you do them well. Officers are usually reasonable when they can see you are making a genuine effort to get the details right. A strong application includes:
- Heritage statement — why the existing windows need replacing, usually their condition.
- Photographs of the existing windows and their defects.
- Detailed drawings of the proposed frame, sash and glazing-bar profiles.
- Materials specification — timber, glazing, finish and ironmongery.
- Performance data — thermal or acoustic figures where relevant.
For any windows we quote, we provide the technical drawings, profile sections and material specifications. They go straight into your application.
What officers look for
What Conservation Officers Expect from Listed Building Windows
Profiles. This is the big one. The cross-section of the frame, the sash and especially the glazing bars needs to match the original — or the historic norm for the building’s period and type. Some officers compare the existing frames against your drawings in detail, so dimensionally accurate profiles matter.
Materials. Timber is the default expectation, and uPVC is almost never acceptable on a listed building. Within timber, match the original intention rather than chasing an exact species: oak windows or other hardwood windows carry weight where the originals were hardwood, while for painted softwood originals — common in Georgian and Victorian houses — engineered pine is accepted by most authorities.
Glazing bars. This is where applications get refused. Applied bars on the front of a Grade II terrace are unlikely to be approved; for principal elevations, expect to need solid through-bars, while rear elevations are often more flexible. Our Georgian windows guide compares solid, duplex and applied bars.
Hardware. Traditionally styled ironmongery: sash lifts rather than handles, fitch fasteners rather than modern locks, peg stays rather than friction hinges. Getting these wrong signals that the building’s character has not been thought through — we can advise on appropriate hardware, or follow your heritage consultant’s specification.
Glazing
Double Glazing in Listed Buildings
Can you have double glazing in a listed building? Often yes — the question is how. Standard 24mm sealed units make a traditional sash bulky and change its proportions, and conservation officers spot it immediately. The usual answer is slim-profile sealed units of around 14–20mm, which fit within historically appropriate sash sections without adding visual weight.
| Glazing option | Unit thickness | Approx. U-value | Typical acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single glazing | 4mm glass | ≈5 W/m²K | Grade I, historic crown or cylinder glass, or where the officer insists |
| Slim double glazing | 14–20mm | ≈1.6–1.8 W/m²K | Most Grade II approvals, with solid glazing bars |
| Standard double glazing | 24mm | 1.4 W/m²K | Rarely accepted on principal elevations of listed buildings |
| Secondary glazing | Separate internal panel | Varies | Keeps the historic window untouched — we don’t supply it, but can size windows to suit |
Slim units do not perform quite as well as standard 24mm units, but they are dramatically better than the single glazing they usually replace. Listed buildings are treated specially under Part L of the Building Regulations: energy improvements should not unacceptably alter the building’s character, and your conservation officer and Building Control will agree the balance. More on performance in our energy efficient timber windows and double glazed wooden windows guides.
Where the original glass is historically significant, or at Grade I, single glazing may be the only option. In that case secondary glazing gives a thermal improvement without touching the historic window.
Supply only
Heritage Windows Made to Measure — What We Supply
We are a supply-only manufacturer. We make your windows to specification, finish them and deliver them anywhere in the UK; fitting is handled by your own joiner or building contractor. Beyond the windows themselves we provide:
- Profile drawings at the scale your LBC application needs.
- Material specifications and U-value data where relevant.
- Sample sections if required (at cost price, credited against your final order).
- Free advice on bar type, timber and glazing — we’d rather spend 30 minutes on the phone getting the spec right than have you order the wrong thing.
- Factory finish in any RAL or Farrow & Ball colour — heritage favourites include Pointing and Wimborne White.
Windows are engineered Scandinavian pine, engineered Dark Red meranti or solid European oak, available as sash windows on weights, spring-balanced sashes or flush casements. We have been manufacturing since 2013, quote within 48 hours, and typical lead time is around 20 working days from order.
Costs
Listed Building Window Prices
Listed building windows cost more than standard replacements because every heritage detail — solid bars, slim units, matched profiles, often hardwood — adds time and material. As a guide, our prices start from £449+VAT for a pine sash window on weights and from £649+VAT for a Georgian sash on weights.
| Specification choice | Typical effect on price |
|---|---|
| Solid through glazing bars | About £100–200 more per window than applied bars |
| Engineered meranti instead of pine | About 20–30% more |
| Solid oak instead of pine | About 2.5 times the pine price |
| Acoustic glass | About £100–150 more per window |
| Bespoke profiles and ironmongery | Priced on your drawings and schedule |
Full price list: timber windows prices. Prices exclude VAT, installation and delivery. Payment is a 50% deposit to book production and 50% on delivery.
How it works
From Survey to Consent to Delivery
1
Send photos & sizes
Email photographs and measurements of your existing windows — our measuring guide explains what we need.
2
Agree the spec
We suggest a specification and prepare draft drawings for your application. No cost, no obligation.
3
Get consent
Submit your LBC application with our drawings and specifications, and agree any changes with the conservation officer.
4
Order & delivery
Once consent is granted, confirm with a 50% deposit. Windows are made in about 20 working days and delivered to site.
Want the wider background first? Read our guides to replacement timber windows for listed buildings, building regulations for windows and Georgian sash windows, or browse our project gallery.
Our Best-Selling Timber Windows:
Listed Building Windows FAQ
Do I need listed building consent to replace windows?
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Almost always, yes. Replacing windows affects the character of a listed building, so consent is needed even if the current windows are modern replacements. Repairs that match the existing exactly may not need consent — confirm with your council’s conservation officer before starting any work.
Can I have double glazing in a listed building?
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Often, yes. Slim-profile double glazing (around 14–20mm) in timber frames that copy the original design may be approved, especially for Grade II buildings. For Grade I buildings or historic glass, single glazing with secondary glazing may be required.
Can I fit uPVC windows in a listed building?
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Almost never. Conservation officers expect timber (or metal where the originals were metal), with profiles, glazing bars and hardware that match the historic design.
How long does listed building consent take?
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In England the statutory decision period is 8 weeks, though complex applications often take longer. Allow time for pre-application discussion and any revised drawings before you place your order.
Is there a fee for listed building consent?
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No — in England listed building consent is free to apply for. If planning permission is also needed, the standard planning fee applies.
Do you provide drawings for my LBC application?
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Yes. For any windows we quote we provide profile drawings, sections and material specifications ready to include in your application, plus U-value data where relevant.
Do you install listed building windows?
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No. We are supply only: we manufacture, finish and deliver UK-wide, and your own joiner or builder fits the windows.
Get a Quote for Listed Building Windows
Send photographs, measurements and any conservation officer requirements — we’ll suggest a specification, prepare drawings for your consent application and quote within 48 hours.
