About the Forest Hill Conservation Area
The Forest Hill Conservation Area covers about 45 hectares and was designated by London Borough of Lewisham in 1976. Inside the boundary are 15 listed buildings (1 Grade II*, 14 Grade II). The most significant is Horniman Museum, Grade II*. 6 Article 4 directions over the area remove further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below.
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.
- Forest Hill Article 4 DirectionHouseholder works
- Forest Hill Article 4(2) DirectionHouseholder works
- Forest Hill Article 4(3) DirectionHouseholder works
- Forest Hill District CentreHouseholder works
- Clyde Vale LSISHouseholder works
- Small HMO Northern ExtensionHouseholder 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.
- Horniman MuseumGrade II*
- Ashberry CottageGrade II
- Coombe Cliffe ConservatoryGrade II
- Forecourt Railings, Walls and Piers to Horniman MuseumGrade II
- Forest Hill Public LibraryGrade II
- Hill HouseGrade II
- Holy Trinity SchoolGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk Near Former CinemaGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk on Corner of Sydenham HillGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk Outside Number 112Grade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk Outside Post Office Sorting OfficeGrade II
- Louise HouseGrade II
- Pillar Box at Corner of Benson RoadGrade II
- Terraces in Front of Horniman MuseumGrade II
- The Capitol (formerly Capitol Cinema)Grade II
The council’s appraisal
PDFForest Hill Conservation Area AppraisalLondon Borough of Lewisham’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 London Borough of Lewisham and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.