About the Birdcage Walk Conservation Area
The Birdcage Walk Conservation Area covers about 13 hectares and was designated by City of Westminster in 1967. Inside the boundary are 47 listed buildings (12 Grade I, 3 Grade II*, 32 Grade II). The most significant is 15, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1, Grade I. 1 Article 4 direction over the area removes further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 1 Tree Preservation Order record 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.
- Article 4 Basement Development Permitted Rights RemovedHouseholder works
- Article 4 Direction Class E To C3 In Central Activities ZoneChange of use
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.
- 15, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 17 and 19, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 21 and 23, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 25, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 26-32, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 40, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 42, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 44, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 46, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- 5-13, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade I
- Nos. 14-22, 22A and 24, QUEEN ANNE'S GATEGrade I
- Statue of Queen Anne Against North Flank of Number 15 Queen Anne's GateGrade I
- 16, Buckingham Gate Sw1Grade II*
- 6-12, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade II*
- Guards Chapel, Wellington BarracksGrade II*
- 1-3 Queen Anne's GateGrade II
- 1, Buckingham Gate Sw1Grade II
- 13-15, Buckingham Gate Sw1Grade II
- 14-20, Stafford Place Sw1Grade II
- 17, Buckingham Gate Sw1Grade II
- 2, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade II
- 20, Buckingham Gate (including Railings)Grade II
- 20, Old Queen Street Sw1Grade II
- 22, Buckingham Gate Sw1Grade II
Show all 47 listed buildings ↓All 47 listed buildings
- 24, Old Queen Street Sw1Grade II
- 26 and 28, Old Queen Street Sw1Grade II
- 27 Lamp Posts Lining Both Sides of RoadGrade II
- 30 and 32, Old Queen Street Sw1Grade II
- 34, Old Queen Street Sw1Grade II
- 34, Queen Anne's Gate Sw1Grade II
- 4-6, Buckingham Gate Sw1Grade II
- 43, Old Queen Street Sw1Grade II
- 6 Lampstandards Numbered 1-5 (consecutive) and 8Grade II
- 7-9, Buckingham Gate Sw1Grade II
- 9 and 11, Old Queen Street Sw1Grade II
- Cockpit Steps (next to Number 38) With Flank Walls and Mounted LanternsGrade II
- Duchy of Cornwall OfficeGrade II
- Lamp Standard Numbered 1Grade II
- Nobel HouseGrade II
- Presbytery of Roman Catholic Church of St Peter and St EdwardGrade II
- Queen Anne's Gate and Lamps on Gate PiersGrade II
- Roman Catholic Church of St Peter and St EdwardGrade II
- The Westminster ChapelGrade II
- Wellington Barracks East GuardhouseGrade II
- Wellington Barracks Main Centre Block With East and West WingsGrade II
- Wellington Barracks Railings and East and West Gates to Birdcage WalkGrade II
- Wellington Barracks West GuardhouseGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBBirdcage Walk Conservation Area AppraisalCity of Westminster’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 City of Westminster and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.