CONTEXT 188 : JUNE 2026 19 INFRASTRUCTURE List revision: the fine group of gas holders (begun 1871) at Bromley by Bow, London Borough of Newham. These have been re-listed, using the Enhanced Advisory Services offer, which draws on external research, providing greater clarity on where significance lies. ROGER BOWDLER Listing: a view from two places Listing is a celebration of what makes this such an interesting country to explore, which is why it is important to identify areas of concern in the interests of safeguarding it. Not many people have been director of listing at English Heritage/Historic England, and then worked on the client side as a heritage consultant. The view is different from each side of the fence, for sure, but there is quite a lot in common too. The roles share a similar mission: working out what really matters in terms of heritage significance. Listing is now over 80 years old, and it remains the chief way in which this significance is expressed in the historic environment, in a granular, building-specific manner. It is a fundamentally important aspect of heritage protection, right at the heart of the planning system. I joined English Heritage in 1989 as a historian. Post-war listings were then just starting to become an issue. We worked on thematic studies on libraries, prisons, cemeteries and schools, and on list reviews in London. These early years instilled in me a pride in putting research to work, and a desire to help listing – which then placed a premium on brisk survey work – become as informed and helpful as it could be. Like many others, I was put off by the old-fashioned kind of list entries which ran ‘House. Early C19. Brick. Three bays. Interior not inspected’ variety. In terms of quantity, what early generations of listers achieved was remarkable: but it was just the start. I am proud of having overseen a big shift in how listing was done, making it more explanatory and highlighting grounds of interest. I also steered the publishing of the Listing Selection Guides, a major step towards greater transparency. These were aspects of the Heritage Protection Reform process, led by Peter Beacham. Under my watch, assisted by Emily Gee, we introduced a greater willingness to list buildings on grounds of historic interest, and of helping to introduce the Enhanced Advisory Services for listing. As I never tired of saying, listing is a celebration of what makes this such an interesting country to explore. It was born at the same time as the NHS, national parks and free school milk: here was the state stepping in to enrich the lives of all by ensuring the survival of England’s best buildings. Top-down and expert-led: how unfashionable, but how necessary! It over-rode private property interests in the interest of present and future generations. And that is why it will always be one of the most politically sensitive aspects of Historic England’s work. Looking from the outside into the listing world is always interesting. Representing clients – the people who actually own and spend money looking after their buildings – is a privilege. If the system is to be open and transparent, it is essential that owners have full access to relevant information and the chance to have their say in the decision-making process. The remainder of this article will identify areas of concern in the interests of safeguarding this important activity. Marginal calls: the utter subjectivity of listing never fails to amaze me. How can it be otherwise, when it is all about assessing ‘special’ architectural and historic interest? In those cases where it is a question of determining the extent of survival of historic fabric, a measure of objective assessment can be deployed. But when it comes to working out the significance of more recent buildings where consensus has yet to emerge, it gets very hard. I have listed more post-war buildings than most, and know how finely balanced these calls are. ‘If in doubt, leave it out’ was an oft-heard adage in the listing team when I started in 2001. Do we hear it often enough now? ‘Special’ means special, and that is really important to remember. Don’t devalue the currency. Consistency of outcome is vital, and there needs to be properly resourced central THE LISTING PROCESS IN ENGLAND
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