About the South Bank Conservation Area
The South Bank Conservation Area covers about 47 hectares and was designated by London Borough of Lambeth in 1982. Inside the boundary are 16 listed buildings (1 Grade I, 5 Grade II*, 10 Grade II). The most significant is Royal Festival Hall, Grade I. 11 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. Part of the area lies in flood zone 3, 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.
- Modified Direction 1 - CAZHouseholder works
- Modified Direction 1 - CAZHouseholder works
- Modified Direction 1 - CAZHouseholder works
- Modified Direction 1 - CAZHouseholder works
- Modified Direction 1 - CAZHouseholder works
- Bankside and Borough District Town CentreHouseholder works
- Central Activities ZoneHouseholder works
- Central Activities ZoneHouseholder works
- Bankside and Borough District Town CentreHouseholder works
- Central Activities ZoneHouseholder 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.
- Royal Festival HallGrade I
- Main Block of the County HallGrade II*
- Royal National TheatreGrade II*
- The South Bank Lion at East End of Westminster BridgeGrade II*
- Waterloo BridgeGrade II*
- Westminster BridgeGrade II*
- Approximately 250 Metres of River Wall With 19 Lamp Standards Immediately West of the County HallGrade II
- Balustrade With 5 Lamp Standards Immediately North of Main Block of the County HallGrade II
- Bust of Nelson Mandela, Royal Festival Hall, LondonGrade II
- Former IBM Building, South BankGrade II
- Fountain in Courtyard of Shell CentreGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk, Outside County Hall One of A Pair This One Is the Nearer to the County Hall Island BlockGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk, Outside County Hall, One of A Pair This One Is the Nearer to Westminster BridgeGrade II
- London Pride sculptureGrade II
- The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery and associated terraced walkways and stairsGrade II
- Zemran sculptureGrade II
Nearby conservation areas
Boundary and listed buildings from London Borough of Lambeth and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.