Date published: 2025-07-07 | Category: Climate Emergency, Delivering for local residents, energy efficiency, Improving people's lives, Planning, Preparing for the Future
Owners and occupiers of listed buildings seeking to understand how they can save energy while also conserving their property will have ongoing access to advice and support following a successful grant application for more than £229K.
The Green Heritage Homes project, originally a collaboration between Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE), Bath Preservation Trust, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, People Powered Retrofit, and the South West Net Zero Hub, supports the sensitive retrofit of listed buildings.
Phase 2 of the project will be funded for three years by the West of England Combined Authority, Historic England and Curo, working in partnership with BWCE.
Councillor Sarah Warren, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Bath and North East Somerset, said: “Decarbonising buildings is one of the council’s strategic priorities as part of the Climate Emergency Strategy. The City of Bath World Heritage Site has 5,000 listed buildings and one of the highest concentrations of Grade I and Grade II* listed buildings outside London, which are categorised as ‘harder to retrofit’. This project has proved successful at removing some of the perceived barriers by offering advice and support for the sensitive retrofit of these historic buildings and we would encourage homeowners and business owners to take advantage of the offering.”
Phase 1 saw the introduction of a new level of Listed Building Consent pre-application advice, the Service Level 0, aimed at homeowners who are interested in improving the energy efficiency of their listed building but do not know where to start. To date, 26 Service Level 0 pre-apps have been completed with the most popular works being windows and/or secondary glazing. The pre-app will continue to be offered at a discounted price of £72 in Phase 2.
In addition, 43 homeowners signed up to be Listed Building Energy Champions - receiving a discounted Service Level 0 pre-app and a home energy survey from BWCE in return for providing a case study of their experience. These are currently being created and will be made available.
So far 69 surveys have been completed, the majority on Grade II properties in the city of Bath and 27 listed building consent/planning applications have been submitted for retrofit and associated works – 12 from Level 0 pre-apps and 15 from the Energy Champions. Of those who have so far been issued a decision, 88% have been granted permission.
Landlords also received a heavy discount through the Energy Champion offer in return for sharing anonymous case studies.
Phase 2 of the project launched in April 2025. Joint energy surveys from B&NES Council and BWCE will be available from the autumn. Homeowners will be able to get planning and energy advice at the same time by booking a joint visit from a BWCE energy assessor and a council conservation officer who will conduct a Service Level 0 pre-app. Interested residents can complete the form online to register their interest and they will be contacted as soon as the next phase launches.
Phase 1 was funded with £344,308 from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, working with the South West Net Zero Hub through the government’s Local Energy Advice Demonstrator Programme (LEAD).
More information and resources for listed building owners, including a series of eight short case study videos, can be found on the council website. A recording of an online training webinar discussing listed building consent and assessing heritage significance can be watched on the council’s YouTube channel.
The Service Level 0 pre-application is exclusive to listed buildings (Grade II, II* and I). Interested homeowners can apply on the council website, or contact the conservation officer alexandra_best@bathnes.gov.uk to find out more.
ENDS