About the Kensington Palace Conservation Area
The Kensington Palace Conservation Area covers about 45 hectares and was designated by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in 1971. Inside the boundary are 52 listed buildings (2 Grade I, 6 Grade II*, 44 Grade II). The most significant is Kensington Palace, Grade I. 8 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 7Householder works
- Article 4 - No 40AHouseholder works
- Article 4 - No 57Householder works
- Article 4 - No 65Householder works
- Article 4 - No 95Householder works
- Article 4 - No 100Householder works
- Article 4 - No 106Householder works
- Article 4 Basement Development Permitted Rights RemovedHouseholder 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.
- Kensington PalaceGrade I
- Orangery at Kensington PalaceGrade I
- 1, Palace Green W8Grade II*
- 12, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II*
- 15, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II*
- 18 and 19, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II*
- 2, Palace Green W8Grade II*
- 24, Kensington Palace W8Grade II*
- 10, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 10, Palace Green W8Grade II
- 11, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 128, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 12a, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 13, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 132 and 134, Kensington Church Street W8Grade II
- 136 Kensington Church StreetGrade II
- 138 Kensington Church StreetGrade II
- 14, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 15a, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 16, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 17, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 20, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 21, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 22, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
Show all 52 listed buildings ↓All 52 listed buildings
- 23, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 4, Palace Green W8Grade II
- 5, Palace Green W8Grade II
- 6 and 7, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 6, Palace Green W8Grade II
- 7, Palace Green W8Grade II
- 8, Palace Green W8Grade II
- 9, Kensington Palace Gardens W8Grade II
- 9, Palace Green W8Grade II
- Black Lion Gate (kensington Gardens)Grade II
- Cope HouseGrade II
- Elfin OakGrade II
- Entrance Gates to Kensington PalaceGrade II
- Garden Temple to South of Kensington PalaceGrade II
- Gatepiers and Wall to Right of Upper StablesGrade II
- Gates and GatepiersGrade II
- K6 telephone kiosk by the south-west entrance to Kensington GardensGrade II
- Kensington Fire StationGrade II
- Mall ChambersGrade II
- North LodgeGrade II
- Old Barrack Block at Kensington PalaceGrade II
- Pair of Telephone Kiosks Outside Number 30 Kensington Church StreetGrade II
- Pillar Box Outside Number 12Grade II
- Second Church of Christ ScientistGrade II
- Statue of Queen VictoriaGrade II
- Statue of William IIIGrade II
- Two Gateways With Cast Iron GatesGrade II
- Upper StablesGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBKensington Palace 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.