Project Focus | Carmarthen Castle | Maintenance and Renovation | Listed Building and Scheduled Ancient Monument Consent

🏰 Progress at Carmarthen Castle 🏰 

Heritage Projects Can Move Forward

It is encouraging to see real progress now being made at Carmarthen Castle following the discussions and early-stage works I wrote about back in January 2025. After a recent conversation with project lead Nathan Goss, I was pleased to hear that both Listed Building and Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) Consent have now been approved for the next stages of work. 

For anyone involved in heritage projects, that is no small achievement.

Carmarthen Castle is an “extreme” example in conservation terms — a nationally significant monument with layers of archaeological, architectural and historic importance. Securing permissions for works on a site of this scale requires detailed heritage assessment, careful justification and a clear understanding of how conservation principles can sit alongside practical repair and public access. 🏛️

What this project demonstrates, however, is something I often try to explain to owners of older buildings: gaining permission to work on listed or historic structures is absolutely possible. Too often there is a perception that heritage legislation exists simply to prevent change. In reality, good conservation is usually about managing change properly.

That was one of the themes explored in my recent article over on my new Substack page:

👉 Listed Buildings and Conservation

Successful projects come from understanding significance, working collaboratively with conservation officers and specialists, and approaching repairs with patience and clarity rather than fear.

Projects such as Carmarthen Castle also highlight the importance of traditional heritage skills 🔨🧱

Conservation work depends on craftspeople who understand lime mortars, traditional carpentry, masonry repair and historic construction methods. Organisations such as Tywi Centre for Traditional Building Skills, which we are incredibly lucky to have based in Llandeilo, play an important role in keeping those skills alive by training the next generation of conservation practitioners and tradespeople.

As more historic buildings across Wales face repair challenges, that combination of practical skills, informed design and constructive dialogue with heritage bodies will only become more important.

Seeing progress at Carmarthen Castle is therefore positive not only for the monument itself, but for the wider message it sends: historic buildings can be repaired, adapted and protected successfully when the right expertise and collaborative approach are brought together. ✨

If permissions can be achieved for a castle of national significance, they can absolutely be achieved for listed homes and historic buildings in conservation areas too, so please get in touch to discuss your project! 🏡