Grosvenor and Westminster City Council have today announced that Westminster’s first Listed Building Consent Order (LBCO) will be implemented at Eaton Square in Belgravia*.

Designed to make it easier for residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, the LBCO will provide blanket listed building consent for a defined set of retrofit measures – including window improvements, awnings, and the installation of solar panels, meaning residents will no longer need to submit individual applications to carry out qualifying works.  

Originally laid out in the 1820s by Grosvenor, Eaton Square is one of the country’s best-known addresses. Comprised of elegant Georgian era townhouses with distinctive white stucco façades, the square contains 118 listed buildings, spanning both Grade II and II* status.  

An LBCO is a legal mechanism that allows specific types of work to listed buildings to proceed without the need for individual consent, provided all conditions of the Order are met.  

With more than 3,500 windows across the square, the LBCO will make energy efficiency improvements significantly easier and quicker for residents.  

In total, the measures enabled through the Eaton Square LBCO are expected to help residents reduce annual energy consumption by up to 13% and cut carbon emissions by up to 19%. They will also improve thermal comfort, safeguard heritage features and increase long-term climate resilience.  

The introduction of the LBCO reflects Grosvenor and Westminster City Council’s shared ambition to support the decarbonisation of the historic built environment. Existing buildings account for 86% of Westminster’s carbon emissions, representing one of the most significant challenges to achieving the city-wide net zero by 2040 target.  

Grosvenor has already retrofitted almost 1.5 million sq. ft of its portfolio as part of its own commitment to cut operational emissions by 90% by 2040. 

Tor Burrows, Chief Sustainability Officer at Grosvenor said:  

“We know the heritage planning system can feel daunting for households. By working with Westminster City Council to bring forward this LBCO, we are simplifying a complex process and giving residents the confidence to make sensitive improvements that cut will reduce emissions, improve comfort and help ensure this magnificent square plays its part in a low carbon future.” 

Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, said: 

“Eaton Square is one of Westminster’s most famous historic squares, and we want to make sure it can meet the challenges of the future as well as preserve its past. This Listed Building Consent Order will make it much easier for residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes while protecting the character of this historic part of the city. By working with Grosvenor we are cutting unnecessary red tape and helping residents use less energy.” 

*Subject to approval, the LLBCO will be in place with accompanying guide for residents to enable its use in Autumn 2026.