About the Smithfield Conservation Area
The Smithfield Conservation Area covers about 13 hectares and was designated by City of London Corporation in 2007. Inside the boundary are 33 listed buildings (3 Grade I, 5 Grade II*, 25 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Bartholomew the Great, Grade I. 1 Article 4 direction over the area removes further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below.
What changes inside the conservation area
Conservation areas are “Article 2(3) land”. You keep most permitted development rights, but these are removed or tightened.
- Rear extensionElsewhere: 3 m · 6 m with PANo 6 m / 8 m prior approval
- Two-storey extensionElsewhere: 3 mNeeds planning permission
- Side extensionElsewhere: Half the widthNeeds planning permission
- Loft conversionElsewhere: 50 m³Needs planning permission
- Garden roomElsewhere: 2.5 m high by boundariesNot beside the house
- PorchElsewhere: 3 m²Same limits
- Solar panelsElsewhere: 0.2 m projectionSame limits
- Air source heat pumpElsewhere: 1 unitNot facing the road
- Fences, walls and gatesElsewhere: 2 m · 1 m by a roadSame limits
- External claddingElsewhere: Matching materialsNeeds planning permission
- Tree workElsewhere: No notice6 weeks’ notice to the council
- Demolition (over 115 m³)Elsewhere: AllowedNeeds planning permission
Limits for a semi-detached house under the GPDO 2015. An Article 4 direction can remove more.
Article 4 directions here
These overlap the conservation area. Householder directions remove more of the rights above; change-of-use ones don’t affect extending a house.
- BasementsHouseholder works
Listed buildings in the conservation area
Any work affecting these needs listed building consent, inside or out. Each links to its entry on the National Heritage List.
- Church of St Bartholomew the GreatGrade I
- Main North Block, East Block, West Block, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade I
- The Gatehouse, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade I
- Church of St Bartholomew the Less, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade II*
- East building of Central MarketGrade II*
- Gatehouse to Church of St Bartholomew the GreatGrade II*
- Nos. 41 and 42, CLOTH FAIRGrade II*
- Screen Wall and Colonnade, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade II*
- 3 Lamp Standards in Courtyard, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade II
- 39 and 40, Cloth Fair Ec1Grade II
- 4, Snow Hill Ec1Grade II
- 43, 44, 45, 46 and 51 Cloth FairGrade II
- Circular Pool With Fountain in Courtyard, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade II
- Double Cattle TroughGrade II
- Drinking Fountain in Centre of GardensGrade II
- Founders' Hall including 39-40 Bartholomew CloseGrade II
- Hand and Shears Public HouseGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk in Central Market K2 Telephone Kiosk in Central MarketsGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk, At Junction With West SmithfieldGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk in Central MarketsGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk in Central MarketsGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk in Central MarketsGrade II
- Medical School St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade II
- Memorial to Sir William Wallace and Martyrs Memorial, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade II
Show all 33 listed buildings ↓All 33 listed buildings
- North East Block With Attached Buildings, St Bartholomew's HospitalGrade II
- Nos. 4, 4A and 5, MIDDLE STREETGrade II
- Nos. 74 and 75, LONG LANEGrade II
- Pair of K2 Telephone Kiosks in Central MarketsGrade II
- RampGrade II
- Smithfield Poultry MarketGrade II
- Snow Hill Police StationGrade II
- St Bartholomew HouseGrade II
- The Golden Boy of Pye CornerGrade II
Streets in the conservation area
Streets with listed buildings inside the boundary. Boundaries often split a street — check your exact address.
The council’s appraisal
WEBSmithfield Conservation Area AppraisalCity of London Corporation’s description of the area’s character — what planners look at when you apply.Open on council site ↗Nearby conservation areas
Boundary and listed buildings from City of London Corporation and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.