Port Sunlight Makes History by Adopting a Local Listed Building Consent Order
Photographs with thanks to Paul Thompson and Port Sunlight Museum

ON Thursday, 26 November 2015, Wirral Council's Planning Committee voted unanimously to adopt the Port Sunlight Local Listed Building Consent Order (LLBCO), which grants 'blanket' consent for certain alterations to the backs of the listed houses in the Conservation Area. The Port Sunlight LLBCO is only the second large scale initiative of its kind nation wide, with the 1st adopted in the Little Germany area of Bradford last year.

Owning 1 of the listed houses in Port Sunlight can be daunting. Port Sunlight Village Trust (Trust) has worked in partnership with Wirral Council and local residents to develop the LLBCO with the goal of making home ownership a bit easier by simplifying and fast tracking consent for the most common alterations to the houses.

The alterations included in the LLBCO would normally require full Listed Building Consent from Wirral Council and permission from the Trust. Applying for full Listed Building Consent can be a fairly long and uncertain process. Under the LLBCO, permitted works are fully described; taking uncertainty out of the process, and the local planning authority only has 28 calendar days to accept a LLBCO Notice of work.

Paul Harris, CEO for Port Sunlight Village Trust said:- "The LLBCO was truly a collaborative effort and demonstrates what communities can accomplish when working in partnership with local government. Given the interest we have seen to date, the LLBCO will empower property owners in Port Sunlight to effectively address heritage enforcement issues and better understand the consent process for necessary works to improve these irreplaceable heritage sites, which also happen to be homes for a 21st century community."

Recognising both the historic significance of Port Sunlight and the need to support private owners, the effort has also received funding from Historic England.

The Trust will hold education and engagement sessions in the new year to publicise the benefits of regular maintenance and to promote the LLBCO to residents, heritage tradespeople, estate agents and conveyancing solicitors.

Central government included LLBCO's in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 to encourage local planning authorities to better manage heritage sites at a local level, to reduce capacity strain on already stretched local planning authorities and to encourage appropriate improvements to listed sites.

Cllr Pat Hackett, Wirral Council Cabinet member for Economy, said:- "This decision will make it much easier for residents living in the Conservation Area of Port Sunlight to make minor alterations to their properties without having to go through the complete planning process. We are delighted to support the Trust in granting this local consent order."

With over 900 Grade 2 Listed houses, Port Sunlight has a high concentration of listed sites in private, independent ownership. Typical deteriorated conditions, repetitive listed building consent applications and common heritage enforcement issues (works done without consent) made the village an ideal test case for the newly enacted LLBCO.

The Port Sunlight LLBCO includes installation of satellite dishes in appropriate locations and replacement of severely deteriorated or inappropriate rear doors, rear windows and yard gates. The LLBCO specifies the rear window, rear door and yard gates approved under the LLBCO. If residents prefer to install something other than what is specified in the LLBCO, then they will have to apply for full Listed Building Consent.