About the Kensington Square Conservation Area
The Kensington Square Conservation Area covers about 6.0 hectares and was designated by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in 1969. Inside the boundary are 42 listed buildings (1 Grade II*, 41 Grade II). The most significant is Marks and Spencers, British Home Stores and the Roof Garden, Grade II*. 4 Article 4 directions over the area remove further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 5 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 42Householder works
- Article 4 - No 42AHouseholder 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.
- Marks and Spencers, British Home Stores and the Roof GardenGrade II*
- 11 and 12, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 14, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 15, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 16, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 16, Young Street W8Grade II
- 17, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 18, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 19, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 20, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 23 Kensington SquareGrade II
- 24, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 25, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 26, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 27 and 27b, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 28, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 29, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 3, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 30, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 31, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 32, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 33, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 34, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 35, Kensington Square W8Grade II
Show all 42 listed buildings ↓All 42 listed buildings
- 36 and 36a, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 37, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 38, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 4, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 40, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 41 and 41a, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 42, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 43 and 44, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 45, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 5, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 6, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 7, Kensington Square W8Grade II
- 8, 9 and 10 Kensington Square, Abbot’s Court and 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 Thackeray StreetGrade II
- 9, Young StreetGrade II
- Chapel of the Assumption ConventGrade II
- Messers Barkers' StoreGrade II
- St James' HouseGrade II
- The Greyhound 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 Square 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.