Our work
The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) campaigns to ensure archaeology, both above and below ground, is recognised, respected, and integrated into decisions that shape our built environment. We are one of the seven National Amenity Societies with a formal role within the planning system.
Local planning authorities are required to consult us on Listed Building Consent (LBC) applications that involve the partial or total loss of historic fabric, and we are able to choose which LBC applications we comment on and when to provide specialist advice. This allows us to advocate for thoughtful, informed approaches to change that value the stories and character embedded in historic places.
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We are able to intervene and offer advice to make sure that important traces of our shared history are not lost among the inevitable and ongoing process of change in the world around us.
We also provide input on planning applications likely to affect buried archaeology. While only a small percentage of archaeology is designated and formally protected, much remains undiscovered. Through our advice, we can ensure appropriate assessment and mitigation are considered when development may disturb significant archaeological remains.
Why It Matters
Every historic building tells a story. Whether it's a chapel at the heart of a Welsh village or a Victorian mill that powered industrial change, these structures are touchstones of community, identity, and continuity.
Our role is not to resist all change, but to ensure change is managed in a way that respects the significance of these places. From adaptive reuse to sustainable repair, we support creative approaches that give buildings a future while retaining the heritage that makes them meaningful.
Notify Us
We know there is lots going on out there which we might not hear about through formal channels. If you are concerned about something in your local area, that we should be concerned about too then get in touch.
Get Involved
Do you care about historic buildings and want to support their conservation? If so, why not apply to be a Casework Input volunteer. Our volunteers receive training on who we are, what we do, and how we assess LBC applications
Guides and Resources
Want to know more about how to manage change to the historic environment? These guides and resources could help you to develop your own proposals or to stand up for the heritage that matters to you.
How We Work
Our casework team reviews more than 5,500 planning applications a year and prioritises those where our advice can have the greatest impact. We work constructively with local authorities, developers, community groups, and other heritage bodies to:
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Encourage sensitive reuse of historic buildings, recognising the value of embodied carbon and the role reuse plays in supporting sustainability
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Promote the communal value of historic places and their role in public participation and identity
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Advocate for better outcomes where development poses harm
Everything we do is made possible by our members, volunteers, partners, and supporters.
Recent Casework
Cross Gaits Inn
We’ve submitted a second objection to plans to convert The Cross Gaits pub into a house and build a large new house on its car park. This follows a similar objection in July 2023. The key issue? The proposed change threatens the future of this Asset of Community Value. We support the work of the Cross Gaits Community Pub Group, a dedicated group working to purchase and run the pub for the benefit of the community.
Market Road, Plymouth
A historic industrial range next to a Scheduled medieval priory was set for demolition. Thanks to concerns raised by the CBA and other amenity societies, The Victorian Society and SPAB, new plans will now save these buildings and convert them into flats. By repurposing these structures, we retain their embodied carbon, significantly reducing the environmental impact compared to demolition and new construction.
Medlock Mill, Manchester
The CBA and SAVE Britain's Heritage support the designation of Medlock Mill, the oldest surviving mill in Manchester. A new investigation reveals evidence of steam-assisted water-powered mill workings - a brief technological stepping stone, not known to survive anywhere else, are still present. The CBA believe the live planning application to largely demolish and reuse this site requires revision in light of this discovery.
See our latest news and resources
Our Casework Team
