Listed Building Categories

The government is to abolish the Grade II* listing for historic English buildings in a move to make the listing system easier for the public to understand. The changes are to be introduced despite English Heritage saying that 90% of the respondents to their consultation think that the present system should be kept.

Grade I buildings are regarded as outstanding and grade II as special but what grade II* means exactly is not clear. Some conservationists say that "outstanding," "excellent" and "special" would be clearer.

English Heritage say that there will be a protracted period during which they would decide whether the re-classification should be up or down. The move to wind up the rankings is contained in a consultation document called the Heritage Protection Review which is still under consideration. English Heritage feel that simplification of the system is worth consideration and feel it will almost certainly become law.