I would say that the rules and regs that prevent things being done to listed buildings are due to government legislation. This stops everyone, even a home owner living in a listed building from alterations additions that are not as the original. There are quite a lot of listed properties in my local area and the hoops the homeowners have to go through if they need to make any alterations/repairs is tedious and the alterations/repairs have to be done in a certain way so that they meet approval.

My Dad was a surveyor too. One of the properties he would have loved to own and live in was the ‘old station masters house’. He was very tempted, but it was a listed building and the problems that brought with it were enough to make him change his mind.

Most of the comments put the blame in the right place – English Heritage themselves and their rules and regulations on doing anything to listed buildings. In fact I would say that English Heritage are acting very like the bloke with our fort – do it our way or else – rather than being pleased that someone is prepared to look after and restore as necessary with modern modern materials that look like the old ones.

Again, sorry for intruding but the attitude of English Heritage gets my hackles up as a building surveyor, part trained architect and engineer.