There’s something special about owning a piece of London’s history. The high ceilings, sash windows, ornate cornices — they make every room feel like it’s part of a story.But the moment you decide to change anything inside that story — even something small — the reality hits you: you’re not just a homeowner, you’re a custodian of a listed building.
And if you’re a leaseholder, that means one more layer of complexity — the Licence to Alter.
In listed buildings, getting that licence isn’t just about freeholder consent. It’s about heritage laws, structure, planning, and sometimes, sheer patience.
At Payte Architects London, we’ve handled Licence to Alter (LTA) applications for listed buildings all across West London — from Notting Hill and Kensington to Chelsea, Hammersmith, and Fulham.Every one of them is different. But the challenges? They’re surprisingly consistent.
1. You’re Managing Two Systems — Heritage and Leasehold
In a normal building, a Licence to Alter means freeholder approval for the works you want to do.In a listed building, it’s that plus Listed Building Consent (LBC) from your local council. Two entirely separate permissions — one from your landlord, one from the planning authority.
Miss either, and you’re technically breaking the law.We’ve seen people remove a partition wall thinking it’s “just internal,” only to find out it was part of the original layout that’s legally protected.
It’s not about red tape for the sake of it. It’s about preserving what makes the building unique — the joinery, plasterwork, staircases, proportions, materials.
Teddy, our in-house Principal Designer, puts it bluntly:
“In listed buildings, what looks like a stud wall might be 200 years old. You have to check before you touch anything.”
This dual approval system — LTA and LBC — means double documentation, double drawings, and double the scrutiny.But handled properly, it can actually move smoothly.The key is aligning the design, the lease, and the heritage criteria from day one — not treating them as separate boxes to tick.
2. Freeholders Are (Understandably) Cautious
Many listed buildings in West London are owned by long-established estates — Cadogan, Grosvenor, Howard de Walden, The Phillimore Estate.These aren’t your average landlords. They’re responsible for preserving architectural legacies that define entire neighbourhoods.
So yes, they’re cautious. Sometimes slow. Always detailed.
If you’re a leaseholder in a place like Chelsea or South Kensington, expect questions — lots of them. Freeholder surveyors will want to see method statements, structural drawings, materials schedules, even paint specifications.They’re not being difficult; they’re being protective.
Zaheer, one of our senior architects, often finds himself translating between client ambition and freeholder caution.
“Most delays happen because the design team and the estate’s surveyor aren’t on the same page. Once we present clear, heritage-sensitive drawings, things start moving again.”
That’s part of what we do at Payte — manage the dialogue, not just the paperwork.
3. Modern Comfort vs. Historic Character
This is where the real challenge lies: how do you modernise a flat without erasing what makes it special?
Underfloor heating, recessed lighting, air conditioning — all the things clients want in 21st-century London living — can be tricky in 19th-century fabric.Chasing pipes or wiring into original plaster? Usually a no.Installing double glazing? Often refused.
But there are clever workarounds.We’ve used reversible detailing, surface-mounted systems, and non-invasive acoustic flooring that meet modern performance standards without altering the original structure.
These are the kinds of solutions that make freeholders (and conservation officers) breathe easier.And they make your life a lot simpler when you apply for both LTA and LBC.
4. The Paper Trail Is Everything
Heritage buildings live on documentation.
When we prepare LTA packs for listed flats, we include measured surveys, existing and proposed drawings, detailed method statements, and photo schedules of every area affected.It’s not overkill — it’s protection.
If something goes wrong later — say a ceiling crack appears in the neighbour’s flat — you’ll have proof of what was done and how.That’s one of the biggest unseen values of working with a specialist team.
At Payte Architects London, we’ve developed an internal process that layers design drawings, structural details, and conservation notes into a single, unified submission.So instead of sending one thing to the council, another to the freeholder, and a third to the surveyor, you send one coordinated pack that covers it all.
It’s cleaner. Faster. And it helps everyone trust that the design’s been properly thought through.
5. Timing and Expectation Management
If you’ve heard someone say “the LTA will only take a few weeks,” take that with a grain of salt.In listed buildings, approvals can easily stretch from 8 weeks to 6 months, depending on complexity, heritage sensitivity, and how responsive each party is.
Freeholders might need their structural engineer’s input.The council might have conservation officer holidays or committee schedules.Throw in a Christmas break, and you’re in spring before the licence is sealed.
We tell clients the truth upfront. No false optimism — just transparency.
6. The Payte Architects London Approach
So how do we handle all this without it turning into a year-long saga?We’ve refined a framework that blends heritage sensitivity, technical accuracy, and open communication.
Here’s what makes our process different:
- Experience with listed estates: We’ve worked on LTA applications for buildings under the Cadogan, Grosvenor, and Howard de Walden Estates, so we already know their standards.
- In-house Principal Designer (Teddy): Oversees compliance with both Building Safety and heritage guidelines.
- Design-led pragmatism: We find smart, reversible ways to achieve your goals without triggering heritage objections.
- Joined-up submissions: One set of coordinated documents for both the council and freeholder, saving time and confusion.
- Calm communication: Zaheer handles correspondence directly — one voice, one chain, no crossed wires.
That combination — technical care and human communication — is why our clients in Notting Hill, Chelsea, and Hammersmith keep coming back.
A Note from Our Founder, Simon Baker
“Listed buildings are emotional projects. People fall in love with them for their history, but that history comes with responsibility.
I’ve seen clients frustrated by how long the process takes — and then relieved when they realise the care that goes into preserving these details is exactly what makes their home valuable.
Our job at Payte Architects London isn’t to fight the system; it’s to guide clients through it — clearly, calmly, and with respect for the building. That’s what good design is: empathy in built form.”
— Simon Baker, CEO & Founder, Payte Architects London
Final Thoughts
A Licence to Alter in a listed building is not just about permission — it’s about understanding the building’s story before you change it.Yes, it’s slower. Yes, it’s more expensive. But done well, it preserves something irreplaceable while letting you live comfortably within it.
At Payte Architects London, we treat every listed property like a partnership between past and present.We help clients find that balance — the modern comfort you want, the heritage integrity the building deserves.
If you’re planning alterations to a listed flat in West London, and you’re not sure where to start, just call us.We’ll walk you through what’s possible, what’s not, and how to make it all work — beautifully and compliantly.
📞 Tel: +44 20 3984 8501