Ed Jefferson takes a simplistic view of England’s listing system, which turned 70 years old this week (The farce of our listed buildings, 8 August). The listed buildings and structures that are protected as part of England’s historic environment are as integral to the nation’s culture as the collections in our museums and galleries, and are no more “random”. Anyone can apply for a building to be listed, and Historic England recommends buildings for listing strategically to protect precious places that are under threat. Ed Jefferson is wrong to say that almost everything pre-1840 is listed. And listing does not mean a building can’t be altered or even demolished, as Jefferson asserts. There is no more need for a randomised lottery to determine which buildings and structures should be listed than there is to determine what should go in the nation’s museums and art galleries.
Deborah Lamb
Deputy chief executive, Historic England
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
