KJ Tait

Heritage or historic buildings typically will not meet modern design standards.  The new London Plan requires all new build and refurbished buildings of 1,000m² or higher to be zero carbon.  Where the design cannot achieve zero carbon, a carbon levy is applied for carbon consumption above zero.

There is limited scope to improve the carbon consumption of a heritage building so Clients need to be aware of the cost penalties associated with the refurbishment of a Heritage building.

There is also the likelihood that restrictions will apply that require a building by 2030 to have an EPC rating of B or to allow the building to be rented.

There are opportunities however to relax these criteria for Heritage buildings, sometimes termed the 7 year rule.  We can assist Clients on how to obtain an agreed relaxation on an EPC B rating for a Heritage building.