CONSERVE • RESTORE • REUSE

Heritage Property Listing Policy

ConserveConnect's Heritage Properties section exists to help secure positive, sustainable futures for historic buildings. We promote conservation, repair, restoration and sensitive reuse, connecting buildings with people, communities and professionals capable of caring for them over the long term.

1. Our Purpose

ConserveConnect is not a general property-development advertising platform. Heritage Property listings should be compatible with the conservation of historic buildings, their significant fabric and, wherever relevant, their contribution to the communities and places around them.

Our aim is to help historic buildings remain useful, valued and cared for by encouraging responsible ownership, appropriate investment and sustainable new uses.

2. Properties We Welcome

ConserveConnect welcomes historic and period properties offered for sale, auction, transfer, restoration, continued use or sensitive reuse, including:

  • historic homes and residential buildings;
  • country houses and estates;
  • agricultural and rural buildings;
  • churches, chapels and other religious buildings;
  • civic, community and cultural buildings;
  • historic commercial and hospitality buildings;
  • industrial heritage;
  • transport and infrastructure buildings;
  • castles and fortified buildings;
  • military and defence heritage; and
  • monuments, follies, ruins and other significant historic structures.

Statutory listing is not required. Unlisted buildings of architectural, historic, cultural or community significance may also be included.

3. Conservation First

We encourage approaches that begin with the existing building and recognise the environmental, cultural and social value of retaining historic fabric.

Repair before replacement. Retention before demolition. Reuse before redevelopment. Conservation before unnecessary loss.

ConserveConnect particularly welcomes opportunities involving:

  • conservation and repair;
  • restoration of neglected or endangered buildings;
  • sensitive adaptive reuse;
  • continued historic or community use;
  • community-led projects;
  • Building Preservation Trust projects;
  • sustainable residential reuse;
  • sustainable commercial, cultural or social reuse;
  • stabilisation and rescue of buildings at risk; and
  • approaches that reduce embodied carbon by retaining and reusing existing buildings.

4. Sustainable and Community-Led Development

ConserveConnect supports development where it provides a credible and proportionate means of conserving an historic building and securing its long-term future.

Particular weight is given to approaches that:

  • retain and repair significant historic fabric;
  • minimise unnecessary demolition;
  • make effective use of existing buildings;
  • reduce embodied carbon through repair and reuse;
  • respect the scale, character and setting of historic places;
  • deliver meaningful community or public benefit; and
  • involve local communities in decisions affecting significant heritage assets.

The description of a property as a development, conversion or reuse opportunity does not mean that ConserveConnect endorses any particular proposal.

5. Listings We May Decline

ConserveConnect reserves the right to decline, amend, suspend or remove a listing where its principal purpose appears inconsistent with our conservation objectives.

This may include proposals substantially dependent upon:

  • demolition of significant historic fabric;
  • demolition and façade retention where meaningful conservation of the building is not proposed;
  • development that overwhelms or substantially diminishes the significance of an historic building;
  • unnecessary loss of important interiors, structures or architectural features;
  • redevelopment in which heritage conservation is incidental to maximising development value;
  • misleading claims of conservation, restoration or community benefit;
  • inappropriate alteration presented as heritage-led regeneration; or
  • other proposals that ConserveConnect reasonably considers incompatible with the purpose of the Heritage Properties section.

A property itself may nevertheless be of legitimate conservation interest even where ConserveConnect does not support a current proposal for its redevelopment.

6. Listing Does Not Mean Endorsement

Inclusion on ConserveConnect means that we consider the building or heritage opportunity appropriate for inclusion within the Heritage Properties section.

It does not necessarily mean that ConserveConnect endorses:

  • the asking price;
  • the owner's or agent's description;
  • a proposed use;
  • an existing planning application;
  • a redevelopment proposal;
  • a condition assessment supplied by a third party; or
  • any commercial, financial or investment claim associated with the property.

ConserveConnect supports the conservation and sustainable reuse of historic buildings. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement of any current redevelopment or planning proposal.

7. Accuracy and Transparency

Those submitting listings must provide information that is accurate to the best of their knowledge and must not knowingly omit information that would materially misrepresent the property or opportunity.

Where known, listings should clearly identify:

  • the property's current availability and status;
  • heritage designation and listing grade or category;
  • asking price or other terms;
  • tenure;
  • current and historic use;
  • known condition issues;
  • existing planning or listed building consents;
  • relevant proposals for change of use or redevelopment; and
  • the owner, selling agent or organisation responsible for the property.

Potential uses should be described as subject to the necessary consents unless the relevant permissions have already been confirmed.

ConserveConnect may edit listing text for accuracy, clarity, consistency and compliance with this policy.

8. Heritage Significance and Condition

Information concerning heritage significance, historic features and building condition should distinguish between established facts, information supplied by third parties, professional assessments and matters that remain uncertain.

A ConserveConnect property listing is not a building survey, valuation, planning opinion or professional assessment. Prospective purchasers should obtain appropriate independent professional advice before acquiring or carrying out work to an historic property.

9. Photographs, Copyright and Permissions

Anyone submitting photographs, drawings, documents or other material must have the right to provide them for publication.

The person submitting the listing is responsible for ensuring that appropriate permissions or licences have been obtained. Where required, image credits and licence information must be supplied.

ConserveConnect may decline or remove material where copyright ownership or permission to reproduce it is unclear.

10. Conservation Badges and Editorial Labels

ConserveConnect may assign editorial badges or labels to listings where relevant, including:

Conservation-Led Community-Led Sustainable Reuse Building at Risk Heritage Rescue Building Preservation Trust

These badges are assigned by ConserveConnect where appropriate and cannot be purchased as part of a listing plan. Their purpose is to identify characteristics of a property or project that are particularly relevant to heritage conservation.

11. Commercial Listings

Estate agents, owners, developers and other commercial organisations may list appropriate heritage properties on ConserveConnect.

Payment for a Featured or Premium listing provides only the visibility and features described within that listing plan. It does not guarantee editorial endorsement, a conservation badge, or acceptance of any development proposal associated with the property.

All paid and free listings remain subject to this policy.

12. Community and Heritage Organisation Listings

ConserveConnect particularly welcomes properties identified by recognised heritage organisations, conservation groups, local communities, Building Preservation Trusts and other not-for-profit organisations seeking sustainable futures for historic buildings.

Where ConserveConnect creates a listing from publicly available information, the original source will normally be identified and visitors directed to the relevant organisation, owner or selling agent for further information.

13. Updating and Removing Listings

Those responsible for listings should keep information reasonably up to date, particularly where a property becomes:

  • under offer;
  • sale agreed;
  • sold;
  • withdrawn;
  • no longer available; or
  • subject to materially changed proposals.

ConserveConnect may update, archive or remove listings that are no longer current or where information cannot reasonably be verified.

14. Editorial Discretion

ConserveConnect reserves editorial discretion over the properties and projects included within the Heritage Properties section.

We may request further information, amend presentation, add explanatory context, decline publication or remove a listing where necessary to maintain the integrity of the service and its conservation purpose.

Our overriding objective is to encourage responsible stewardship, repair, conservation and sustainable reuse of historic buildings.

BEFORE SUBMITTING A PROPERTY

Acceptance of this Policy

By submitting a Heritage Property listing, you confirm that:

  • you have read and understood this Heritage Property Listing Policy;
  • the information you provide is accurate to the best of your knowledge;
  • you have authority to submit the listing and any accompanying material;
  • you have the necessary rights or permissions for photographs and other content supplied; and
  • you understand that all listings remain subject to ConserveConnect's editorial and conservation standards.