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Class A: Development by Historic England
Class A of GPDO Part 11 is a narrow permitted development right for specified preservation works carried out by or on behalf of Historic England. It is not a general right for owners of historic or listed buildings to carry out works without the normal consents.
The right covers certain maintenance, repair, restoration, temporary protective structures and ground-stabilisation works where they are required to secure the preservation of a qualifying building or monument.
A qualifying building or monument must be in the guardianship of Historic England or be owned, controlled or managed by it.
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What Class A allows
Where the works are required to secure preservation, Class A can cover:
- maintenance, repair or restoration of a building or monument
- screens, fences or covers intended to protect or safeguard a building or monument
- works to stabilise ground conditions by a cliff, watercourse or the coastline
The right belongs to Historic England for qualifying preservation work. Historic England advising on a proposal, commenting on it or having an interest in the heritage asset does not by itself bring private development within Class A.
The extension restriction and six-month condition
Class A(a) does not permit maintenance, repair or restoration works which involve extending the building or monument.
Protective structures erected under Class A(b) are normally subject to a separate time limit. Except where the development also falls within Class A(a), the structure must be removed six months after work to erect it began, unless the local planning authority agrees a longer period in writing.
Current Class A legislation
The wording below has been checked against the current Part 11 legislation on 24th September 2026.
Class A – development by Historic England
Permitted development
A. Development by or on behalf of Historic England, consisting of—
(a) the maintenance, repair or restoration of any building or monument;
(b) the erection of screens, fences or covers designed or intended to protect or safeguard any building or monument; or
(c) the carrying out of works to stabilise ground conditions by any cliff, watercourse or the coastline;
where such works are required for the purposes of securing the preservation of any building or monument.
Development not permitted
A.1 Development is not permitted by Class A(a) if the works involve the extension of the building or monument.
Condition
A.2 Except for development also falling within Class A(a), Class A(b) development is permitted subject to the condition that any structure erected in accordance with that permission is removed at the expiry of a period of 6 months (or such longer period as the local planning authority may agree in writing) from the date on which work to erect the structure was begun.
Interpretation of Class A
A.3 For the purposes of Class A, “building or monument” means any building or monument in the guardianship of Historic England or owned, controlled or managed by it.
Explore GPDO Part 11
Class A Page Updated: 24th September 2026