Buildings lose listing protection (Northern Ireland)

Many of Northern Ireland's protected buildings are being left to those who want to change them or even demolish them.

Hundreds of listed buildings are losing their legal protection following an ongoing survey by the Environment and Heritage Service, part of the Department of Environment.

Many more are being altered to such a degree that they are no longer worth listing according to the service's policy.

There are about 9,000 protected buildings in Northern Ireland. That is about 2% of all buildings.