About the Kensington Conservation Area
The Kensington Conservation Area covers about 55 hectares and was designated by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in 1970. Inside the boundary are 64 listed buildings (4 Grade II*, 60 Grade II). The most significant is Aubrey House, Grade II*. 7 Article 4 directions over the area remove further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 6 Tree Preservation Order records overlap the area; every other tree here still needs six weeks’ notice before work.
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.
- Article 4 - No 9Householder works
- Article 4 - No 48Householder works
- Article 4 - No 49Householder works
- Article 4 - No 59Householder works
- Article 4 - No 80Householder works
- Article 4 - No 100Householder works
- Article 4 - No 106Householder 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.
- Aubrey HouseGrade II*
- Kensington Central Library Including Adjoining PylonsGrade II*
- Linley Sambourne HouseGrade II*
- Parish Church of St Mary Abbot and Railings to ChurchyardGrade II*
- 1-27, Stafford Terrace W8Grade II
- 1, Campden HillGrade II
- 1, Campden Hill Square W8Grade II
- 1, Holland Park AvenueGrade II
- 1, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 10 and 12, Holland Street W8Grade II
- 11, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 12-54, Hornton Street W8Grade II
- 13, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 14-34, Bedford Gardens W8Grade II
- 14, Campden Hill Square W8Grade II
- 14, Hillsleigh Road W8Grade II
- 14, Holland Street W8Grade II
- 15-19, Aubrey WalkGrade II
- 15, 17 and 17d, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 15, Campden Hill Square W8Grade II
- 16, Holland Street W8Grade II
- 18-26, Holland Street W8Grade II
- 19-43, Bedford Gardens W8Grade II
- 19, Holland Park Avenue W11Grade II
Show all 64 listed buildings ↓All 64 listed buildings
- 2 and 4, Bedford Gardens W8Grade II
- 2-16 and 20-28 (even) Stafford TerraceGrade II
- 2, Campden Hill Square, W8Grade II
- 21, Holland Park Avenue W11Grade II
- 23 Kensington PlaceGrade II
- 23-27, Holland Park Avenue W11Grade II
- 3-13, Campden Hill Square W8Grade II
- 3-9, Bedford Gardens W8Grade II
- 3, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 36-46, Bedford Gardens W8Grade II
- 38, Sheffield Terrace W8Grade II
- 44 and 45, Campden Hill Square W8Grade II
- 5 and 5a, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 50 and 51, Campden Hill Square, W8Grade II
- 52, Campden Hill Square, W8Grade II
- 53, Campden Hill Square W8Grade II
- 7, 7a and 7b, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 85-91, Bedford Gardens W8Grade II
- 9 and 11, Holland Street W8Grade II
- 9, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 92-102, Campden Hill Road W8Grade II
- 95, Bedford Gardens W8Grade II
- 99 and 101, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- Bank Melli Iran, Formerly Public LibraryGrade II
- Carmelite PrioryGrade II
- Church of St GeorgeGrade II
- Coronet CinemaGrade II
- Drinking Fountain Outside Number 98aGrade II
- Numbers Two to Six (even) Including Garden RailingsGrade II
- Queen Elizabeth College and Queen Mary HallGrade II
- Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Mount CarmelGrade II
- St Mary Abbot's Church of England Primary School and Parish OfficeGrade II
- The Gate CinemaGrade II
- The Old House and RailingsGrade II
- Thorpe LodgeGrade II
- Tomb of Elizabeth Johnstone St Mary Abbott Church YardGrade II
- Walls, Gates, Gatepiers and Railings to Central GardenGrade II
- War Memorial at Corner With Kensington Church StreetGrade II
- West HouseGrade II
- Windsor Castle Public HouseGrade 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
WEBKensington Conservation Area AppraisalRoyal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’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 Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.