About the Dartford Town Centre Conservation Area
The Dartford Town Centre Conservation Area covers about 22 hectares and was designated by Dartford Borough Council in 1980. Inside the boundary are 36 listed buildings (1 Grade I, 2 Grade II*, 33 Grade II). The most significant is Church of the Holy Trinity, Grade I. 1 Article 4 direction over the area removes further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 11 Tree Preservation Order records overlap the area; every other tree here still needs six weeks’ notice before work. Part of the area lies in flood zone 2, so an extension may need a flood risk assessment.
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.
- HMO Article 4(1) Direction North Order 2025Change of use
- Article 4 Direction File Reference: PT191(2)Householder 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 the Holy TrinityGrade I
- 45, High StreetGrade II*
- The Royal Victoria and Bull InnGrade II*
- 1 and 3, Overy StreetGrade II
- 11 and 13, Overy StreetGrade II
- 11, High StreetGrade II
- 14 and 16, East HillGrade II
- 15, High StreetGrade II
- 15, Overy StreetGrade II
- 17, Overy StreetGrade II
- 21 and 23, West HillGrade II
- 25, West HillGrade II
- 27 and 29, West HillGrade II
- 44, High StreetGrade II
- 5-9, Overy StreetGrade II
- 53 and 55, Spital StreetGrade II
- 82, High StreetGrade II
- Acacia HallGrade II
- AlmshousesGrade II
- BeadlesGrade II
- Dartford Museum Dartford Public Library the Dartford Veterans ClubGrade II
- Dartford War MemorialGrade II
- Former Dartford Union Workhouse Buildings to Rear and North East of Range Fronting West HillGrade II
- Former West Hill Police StationGrade II
Show all 36 listed buildings ↓All 36 listed buildings
- Kent House the County CourtGrade II
- Martyr's Monument in St Edmund's Chartered GraveyardGrade II
- Methodist ChurchGrade II
- Range of Former Dartford Union Workhouse Facing on to West HillGrade II
- St Edmund's Chartered ChurchyardGrade II
- The Bridge HouseGrade II
- The Coach and Horses Public HouseGrade II
- The Royal Oak Public HouseGrade II
- The Two Brewers Public HouseGrade II
- The Wat Tyler Public HouseGrade II
- Twistleton's AlmshousesGrade II
- Zion Strict Baptist ChapelGrade 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
PDFDartford Town Centre Conservation Area AppraisalDartford Borough Council’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 Dartford Borough Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.