Concern over ‘worrying’ picture around Northern Ireland’s listed buildings

By Rebecca Black, PA

A “worrying picture” has been described around the apparently worsening condition of listed buildings in Northern Ireland.

New research has found that just over 61 per cent of listed buildings are in a very good, good or average condition, a 15.6 per cent reduction from a similar survey in 2014/15 (76.9 per cent).

The figure also represents a further 8.8 per cent reduction to the equivalent figure of a 2004/05 survey (85.7 per cent), although this is described as not an exact statistical comparison.

It follows the publication of new research which examined a statistically reliable sample of 1,504 of the around 9,000 listed buildings in the region over an 11-month period.

It was found that 61.3% were rated as being in very good, good or average condition, while 36 per cent were found to be poor or very poor.

Buildings grade A and B+ were found to generally be in better condition than those graded B1, B2 and B, while a higher proportion of church-owned buildings were rated very good/good (39.1 per cent) compared with private buildings (21.7 per cent) and public buildings (23.1 per cent).

Meanwhile, the results also show that a third of listed buildings are currently vacant, and the proportion of vacant buildings was higher by 11 per cent in the 2023/24 survey (33.3 per cent) compared with the 2014/15 baseline survey (22.3 per cent).

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons expressed concern around the findings.

“This research, commissioned by my department, paints a very worrying picture of the state of our listed buildings,” he said.

“This is a finite resource of just over 9,000 structures that is important, not just as a tangible representation of our history but because of the character it brings and the economic and social potential it holds for our region.

“Heritage is a key driver of tourism to Northern Ireland and a source of civic pride and identity. Once lost, it and the potential that it holds are gone forever.”

Mr Lyons added: “I have asked my Department to consider this within the Heritage, Culture and Creativity Programme.

“The new programme will deliver policies for arts, museums, public libraries and the historic environment.

“These are due to go to public consultation this year and my hope is that the Historic Environment Policy will provide the step change that we need and help kickstart a proper appreciation of our built heritage – what we have and how it can be utilised creatively, for public benefit.”