Richard Harding at British Spirals & Castings discusses best practice for specifying staircases in listed buildings, from conservation principles and material selection to regulatory compliance and modern surveying techniques.
Historic buildings are an important part of the UK’s architectural landscape, presenting architects with the unique challenge of balancing conservation requirements with modern accessibility and operational needs. Staircases sit at the centre of this challenge, serving not only as a practical structure for getting from floor to floor but as a significant architectural feature that is central to the building’s historic character.
Whether designing for the repair of an existing staircase, a replacement for one that has reached the end of its life, or a new staircase that’s being introduced into a historic setting, when specifying for these projects a sympathetic and considered approach must be taken.
Before any work commences on a listed building, Listed Building Consent should be obtained. With staircases being so closely integrated into a building’s original design, any alterations are likely to receive close scrutiny, so early engagement with the local conservation officer is particularly useful. This not only helps to establish the appropriate level of intervention but ensures proposals reflect the site’s heritage significance before detailed design begins.
The level of protection depends on the level of listing of a building; Historic England’s conservation guidance emphasises minimum intervention, reversibility where possible, and the retention of historic fabric as key principles when introducing alterations. Individual treads, balusters, handrails and newel posts can often be replicated by specialist manufacturers while retaining significant portions of the existing staircase structure. This can include using a sample of original metalwork to create a new pattern from which replacements can be cast. When replacement is unavoidable, the focus should be on replication over reinterpretation, using surviving elements, archive drawings, photographs or pattern libraries to inform the design.
Material selection is equally important. In many Grade I listed buildings, conservation requirements typically expect replacement staircases or components to be manufactured from materials that match the original construction, such as cast iron for cast iron structures or the same timber species for wooden elements.
For some Grade II or II* projects, there may be greater flexibility. Modern materials such as cast aluminium can closely replicate the appearance of traditional cast iron, while offering reduced weight, rustproofing, and greater manufacturing flexibility for intricate decorative details. The use of substitute materials should always be agreed with the conservation officer before specification – specialist manufacturers may be able to support these conversations.
Alongside material selection, architects must also consider how heritage requirements align with stricter modern building regulations. Historic staircases were constructed with steeper pitches, narrower treads, and lower handrails than would typically be permitted in new buildings today. However, where strict compliance would result in unacceptable harm to a building’s heritage significance, the regulatory framework may permit carefully justified departures from these standards, subject to agreement with your conservation officer.
Accurate surveying is also essential in older buildings. Heritage properties have walls, floors and openings that are rarely square or level, making precise measurement particularly important for staircases, which must connect multiple levels while fitting within often irregular spaces. Modern technologies such as laser scanning and CAD modelling allow these irregularities to be captured with precision before manufacture begins, with three-dimensional point cloud surveys proving particularly valuable in complex environments by creating accurate digital records that inform both design and fabrication.
These digital tools should complement traditional manufacturing methods, rather than replace them. Techniques such as sandcasting continue to provide the authentic texture and detailing expected within heritage sites during the manufacturing process, but modern design tools can help ensure the final structure is exactly as required for the building’s historical significance.
A recent example can be seen at the Grade I listed Brasenose College Chapel, where Lee/Fitzgerald Architects commissioned a bespoke spiral staircase for improved organ maintenance access. In collaboration with them, the staircase was manufactured using CAD modelling and traditional sandcasting.
Through careful coordination with the architect, we were able to develop a bespoke cast aluminium design which was acceptable to planning. The narrow radius features a single baluster per tread (in keeping with the period) and a specially commissioned fascia developed from a reference image from another staircase in the chapel.
This project demonstrates how carefully considered design alongside early collaboration and appropriate regulatory flexibility can deliver solutions that both preserve heritage significance while meeting the practical needs of a building.
Specifying staircases for listed buildings requires more than selecting an appropriate product. It demands an understanding of conservation principles, careful consideration of historic materials and detailing, and close collaboration between architects, conservation bodies and specialist staircase manufacturers throughout the design and manufacturing process.
Bringing specialist manufacturers on board at an early stage helps navigate design and planning challenges, for staircases that respect historic character while meeting practical contemporary needs.
Richard Harding is managing director of British Spirals & Castings