The ‘Hanging Gardens of Basingstoke’ – Mountbatten House and its roof gardens – have both been listed, with the gardens given grade II status on the register of parks and gardens.

IBM’s British headquarters in Cosham, Hampshire, designed by the firm of Norman Foster, is also now protected from destruction thanks to its listing.

Innovative: Gun Wharf in Chatham, Kent was built for Lloyd’s of London but is now the headquarters of Medway Council

Brutalist: The Gun Wharf office block was built using exposed brick in a style popular in the 1970s

Unusual: 1 Finsbury Avenue in central London, built by Arup Associates, is on the list of buildings protected from significant alteration

Pavilions: The former Central Electricity Generating Board in Bristol has been honoured for its architectural importance

Sleek: St James’s House in Birmingham, whose exterior is on the left and interior is pictured right, has also been listed

Four of the 14 office blocks are in London, two in Birmingham, two in Newcastle and the other six distributed around other major cities and suburban areas.

A number of other buildings were also considered for listing but ultimately rejected, including Tower 42, formerly known as the Natwest Tower, which is one of the most prominent skyscrapers in the City of London.

Listed buildings cannot be altered or demolished without explicit permission from the local planning authority, which often consults central government before allowing any changes.

The rules state that buildings are only eligible for listing 30 years after they were built – meaning that all of the newly listed office blocks date from before 1985.

Under-rated? The Twentieth Century Society argues that buildings like the former office of Ryder and Yates in Newcastle need more protection

Futuristic: Space House in Holborn, central London, left, and the former Midland Bank in Liverpool, right, share aspects of their design

Controversial: Buildings like Bank House in Leeds, pictured, are not to everyone’s taste despite their new status

Geometric: Bank House is constructed from interlocking rectangles which overhang the street below

Garden: Another view of Mountbatten House in Basingstoke, whose garden has been listed as well as the building itself

The Twentieth Century Society argues that more protection is needed for modern buildings, because they are often given a lower priority than more historic structures despite their architectural importance.

Culture minister Ed Vaizey, who approved English Heritage’s recommendation over the listings, said: ‘Listed buildings are not just about historic houses and ancient monuments, they also serve to protect our recent heritage and preserve the best examples of our fantastic architecture.

‘This group of listings reflect the changing face of our working environment and represent the very best in design and it’s entirely right that they be listed grade II.’

Roger Bowdler of English Heritage added: ‘These offices show how architecture has adapted to recent radical changes in how we work.

‘They show how the open-plan working space for computer-led work came about, and how architects responded to the need for lettable, attractive spaces with ingenuity and a deep understanding of human needs.’

BRITAIN’S BEST OFFICE BLOCKS: THE 14 POST-WAR BUILDINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN NEWLY LISTED AT GRADE II

Brown Shipley (pictured right), Moorgate, City of London, Fitzroy Robinson Partners, 1973-5

30 Cannon Street (formerly Credit Lyonnais), London, Whinney, Son Austen Hall, 1974-7

1 Finsbury Avenue, City of London, Arup Associates’ Group 2 led by Peter Foggo, 1982-4

Civil Aviation Authority House, (formerly Space House), Kingsway, London, George Marsh of Richard Seifert Partners, 1964-8

Mountbatten House (formerly Gateway House), Basingstoke, Hampshire, Arup Associates’ Group 2 led by Peter Foggo, 1974-6

IBM Pilot Head Office, Cosham, Hampshire, Foster Associates, 1970-71

Gun Wharf (built as administrative headquarters for Lloyds of London, now civic headquarters for Medway Council), Chatham, Kent, Arup Associates, 1976-8

Former office of Ryder and Yates, Killingworth, Newcastle, Ryder and Yates, 1964-5

MEA House, Newcastle, Ryder and Yates, 1972-4

Bank House, King Street, Leeds, Building Design Partnership, 1969-71

Former Midland Bank, Dale Street, Liverpool, Raymond Fletcher of Bradshaw, Rowse Harker, 1971

St James’s House, Frederick Street, Birmingham, John Madin, 1954-7

Alpha Tower, Birmingham, George Marsh of Richard Seifert Partners, 1970-2

Former Central Electricity Generating Board Building (The Pavilions), Bristol, Arup Associates, 1975-8

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