42 CONTEXT 189 : SEPTEMBER 2026 Please reproduce the advertisement/s on this page AS IS / AS ALTERED BY ME on this page in ink, Handmade at Horchester Farm, Dorset Manufacturers & Suppliers of Traditional Paints, Limewashes, Lime Mortars and Plasters Mortar Analysis and Historic Building Consultancy roseofjericho.co.uk Rose of Jericho IHBC Context Magazine ad.indd 1 20/04/2022 08:44:22 Accredited Expert Witness Services in Heritage & Conservation Building Surveying Experienced Building Surveyor in the Heritage and Conservation of Buildings, specialises in Inspections, TDD & Condition Surveys, Defects Analysis and Investigation. Expertise in Report writing, disseminating complex issues and compiling technical narratives into Court ready material. Experience in Single and Joint statements, Civil Court cases and Hearings. Implements Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) 35 as standard in a professional and legal setting. For further information in the first instance please contact Brian Fitzgerald MCIOB via email - Brian.fitzgerald1@yahoo.co.uk. Some pro bono works are considered for registered Charitable trusts and Almshouses. emphasis on architectural significance helps explain why retrospective approvals succeed through popularity, while proactive proposals framed as ‘art for art’s sake’ often falter. There are tentative signs of change. Historic England’s 2023 thematic study highlights twentieth-century murals as heritage assets, creating a framework for valuing successors. The Twentieth Century Society campaigns for post-war murals, from civic centres to underpasses, to be listed. But there is nothing on the suitability of new murals on listed buildings in England. Admittedly all but one of the cases discussed here concern Grade II listed buildings. And as Historic England is generally less likely to intervene at this level, reserving formal comment for Grade II* and Grade I cases, where national significance and fabric sensitivity are greater, arguably the issue discussed in this article is not yet on its radar. At local level, some councils are producing guidance that acknowledges cultural value where quality and location are carefully chosen. Cheltenham, influenced by its Paint Festival, has become a test-bed for balancing creativity with conservation. Preston Council turned the success of ‘Mother’ into a formal programme, working with Mural Makers CIC to support and commission new street-art works. Both suggest that councils are beginning to evolve from reluctant, retrospective approvals to proactive engagement, though national policy still sets strict limits on listed fabric. Practical lessons For practitioners, several lessons stand out: • Check the sensitivity of the wall: facades are rarely suitable, gables may be. • Ensure a narrative link: murals tied to local identity carry more weight. • Demonstrate quality and reversibility: proven artists, suitable materials and removal plans matter. • Evidence public engagement: petitions or consultations strengthen cases. • Guard against branding: works must be artistic or commemorative, not commercial. These judgements ultimately sit within the NPPF framework, where any ‘less than substantial harm’ to a listed building must be clearly justified and weighed against public benefits. Demonstrating communal value or cultural enrichment can therefore be decisive. Together these points form a framework for balancing heritage protection with cultural vitality. In conclusion, murals on listed buildings highlight the debate over heritage and contemporary culture. The current pattern – unauthorised works retrospectively approved, lawful proposals refused – shows a mismatch between public sentiment and heritage process. Practitioners can help bridge this gap by framing murals as part of a place’s evolving story, ensuring quality and reversibility, and engaging communities. If more confident frameworks are adopted, murals may move from tolerated exceptions to recognised tools of placemaking.
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