Covent Garden Conservation Area (Westminster)

About the Covent Garden Conservation Area

The Covent Garden Conservation Area covers about 19 hectares and was designated by City of Westminster in 1987. Inside the boundary are 168 listed buildings (3 Grade I, 10 Grade II*, 155 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Paul Church of St Paul Covent Garden, Grade I. 2 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.

ProjectElsewhereIn Covent Garden CA

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.

BasementsHouseholder works
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.

Church of St Paul Church of St Paul Covent GardenGrade I
Royal Opera HouseGrade I
Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Attached Sir Augustus Harris Memorial Drinking FountainGrade I
1-8, Goodwin's Court Wc2Grade II*
2-10, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II*
27, Southampton Street Wc2Grade II*
37, King Street Wc2Grade II*
43, King Street Wc2Grade II*
Covent Garden Market BuildingGrade II*
Lyceum TheatreGrade II*
The Garrick ClubGrade II*
Wyndhams TheatreGrade II*
Zimbabwe HouseGrade II*
1-5, CHANDOS PLACE WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
1, New Row Wc2Grade II
10, NEW ROW WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
11-19, Broad Court Wc2Grade II
11, TAVISTOCK STREET WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
116, Long Acre Wc2Grade II
12 Lampstandards Numbered 1 to 12 (consecutive) From Outside Tower House on Both Sides of RoadGrade II
12, Floral Street Wc2Grade II
13, New Row Wc2Grade II
13, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
14-16, Bedford Street Wc2Grade II

Show all 168 listed buildings ↓

14, Garrick Street Wc2Grade II
14, King Street Wc2Grade II
15 Exeter StreetGrade II
15, Catherine Street Wc2Grade II
15, King Street Wc2Grade II
15, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
16 and 17, Maiden Lane Wc2Grade II
16, New Row Wc2Grade II
17 and 18, New Row Wc2Grade II
17 and 19, Neal Street Wc2Grade II
17-19, Bedford Street Wc2Grade II
17-21, Garrick Street Wc2Grade II
17, Exeter Street Wc2Grade II
19 AND 20, BOW STREET WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
2 and 2a, New Row Wc2Grade II
2 Bollards Either Side of Junction With Floral StreetGrade II
20-26, Wellington Street Wc2Grade II
20, TAVISTOCK STREET (See details for further address information)Grade II
23 and 23a, New Row Wc2Grade II
23 and 24, Bedfordbury Wc2Grade II
23 and 24, Henrietta Street Wc2Grade II
24 and 26, Shelton Street Wc2Grade II
24, New Row Wc2Grade II
25, New Row Wc2Grade II
26, King Street Wc2Grade II
26, Southampton Street Wc2Grade II
27 and 28 King StreetGrade II
27 AND 28, BEDFORD STREET WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
28, James Street Wc2Grade II
29 and 30, King Street Wc2Grade II
3 and 5, Mercer Street Wc2Grade II
3 Lampstandards Numbered 1, 2 and 3Grade II
3-7, Neal Street Wc2Grade II
3, Henrietta Street Wc2Grade II
3, New Row Wc2Grade II
30 and 31, Long Acre Wc2Grade II
30 Henrietta StreetGrade II
30, Wellington Street Wc2Grade II
31 and 32, King Street Wc2Grade II
32, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
33, Bedford Street Wc2Grade II
33, King Street Wc2Grade II
34-38, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
34, SHELTON STREET WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
355, Strand Wc2Grade II
356-359, Strand Wc2Grade II
36, King Street Wc2Grade II
38, King Street Wc2Grade II
38, Wellington StreetGrade II
4 and 5, New Row Wc2Grade II
4, Henrietta Street Wc2Grade II
40 and 42, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
40, King Street Wc2Grade II
409 and 410, Strand Wc2Grade II
41 and 42, King Street Wc2Grade II
41 and 43, Wellington Street Wc2Grade II
42 and 43, Drury Lane Wc2Grade II
42 Maiden LaneGrade II
44, Bedford Street Wc2Grade II
46 and 47, Floral Street Wc2Grade II
48-52, Long Acre Wc2Grade II
5 and 6, Henrietta Street Wc2Grade II
5 Lamp Posts Numbered 1 to 5Grade II
5 Lampstandards Numbered 1 to 5Grade II
5, Garrick Street Wc2Grade II
5, Great Newport Street Wc2Grade II
52-53 St Martin’s LaneGrade II
52, Floral Street Wc2Grade II
6 and 8, Mercer Street Wc2Grade II
6, Langley Street Wc2Grade II
6, New Row Wc2Grade II
60 and 61, Long AcreGrade II
60, Chandos Place Wc2Grade II
62, St Martin's Lane Wc2Grade II
67 and 68, Chandos Place Wc2Grade II
7 and 8, Bow Street Wc2Grade II
7 and 8, Henrietta Street Wc2Grade II
7 and 8, Langley Street Wc2Grade II
7 Lampstandards Numbered 1 to 7 (consecutive)Grade II
7, New Row Wc2Grade II
70, ST MARTIN'S LANE WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
78 and 79, Long Acre Wc2Grade II
8 Lampstandards on Dwarf Stone Walls in St Paul's ChurchyardGrade II
8, King StreetGrade II
8, New Row Wc2Grade II
8, Russell Street Wc2Grade II
9 and 10, Henrietta Street Wc2Grade II
9-13, Garrick Street Wc2Grade II
9, New Row Wc2Grade II
Aldine HouseGrade II
Alginate HouseGrade II
Central K2 Telephone Kiosk in Group to North of Bow Street Magistrates CourtGrade II
Charles H Fox Limited and Robert White and Sons Harper and Row LimitedGrade II
Corpus Christi Church and PresbyteryGrade II
Covent Garden Underground StationGrade II
Duchess TheatreGrade II
Floral Hall (Paul Hamlyn Hall)Grade II
Former Bow Street Magistrates Court and Police StationGrade II
Gateway to Inigo Place and St Pauls ChurchyardGrade II
Jubilee HallGrade II
K2 Telephone Kiosk Adjacent to Northernmost Kiosk in Group to North of Bow Street Magistrates CourtGrade II
K2 Telephone Kiosk Adjacent to Southernmost in Group to North of Bow Street Magistrates CourtGrade II
Lamp post on the corner of Chandos Place and Bedford StreetGrade II
Lamp post on the corner of Garrick Street and Rose StreetGrade II
Lamp post on the corner of Henrietta Street and Southampton StreetGrade II
Lamp post opposite the Strand Palace HotelGrade II
Lamp post outside 11-14 Hanover PlaceGrade II
Lamp post outside 28 BedfordburyGrade II
Lamp post outside 35 Maiden LaneGrade II
Lamp post outside 4-6 Russell StreetGrade II
Lamp post outside 6-7 Chandos PlaceGrade II
Lamp post outside 61a Chandos PlaceGrade II
Lamp post outside 66 Chandos PlaceGrade II
Lamp post outside 8 Mercer StreetGrade II
Lamp post outside 9 Burleigh StreetGrade II
Lamp post outside Corpus Christi ChurchGrade II
Lamp post outside Jubilee Market Hall, 20 Southampton StreetGrade II
London Transport MuseumGrade II
Mr Fogg's TavernGrade II
Nag's Head Public HouseGrade II
Nell Gwynne TavernGrade II
Northernmost K2 Telephone Kiosk in Group to North of Bow Street Magistrates CourtGrade II
Rear Premises of the Adelphi TheatreGrade II
Rear Premises of the Vaudeville TheatreGrade II
Rules RestaurantGrade II
Six lamp posts, numbered 1 to 6Grade II
Southernmost K2 Telephone Kiosk in Group to North of Bow Street Magistrates CourtGrade II
St Paul's Clergy HouseGrade II
St Peter's HospitalGrade II
The Adelphi TheatreGrade II
The AlberyGrade II
The Frigate Public HouseGrade II
The Lamb and Flag Public HouseGrade II
The Marlborough Public HouseGrade II
The Old Bell Public HouseGrade II
The Piazza, Bedford ChambersGrade II
The Salisbury Public House and 91-93, St Martin's LaneGrade II
The Sun Tavern Public HouseGrade II
The Vaudeville TheatreGrade II
Two K6 telephone kiosks at the south end of James Street on the edge of Covent GardenGrade II
Two lamp posts outside 7 and 21 Cecil CourtGrade II
Westminster County CourtGrade II
White Swan Public HouseGrade II
Yard Premises to Rear of Numbers 22 and 23Grade II

Streets in the conservation area

Streets with listed buildings inside the boundary. Boundaries often split a street — check your exact address.

King StreetSouthampton StreetSt Martin's LaneWellington Street

The council’s appraisal

WEBCovent Garden 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

Adelphi →Savoy →Leicester Square →Trafalgar Square →Chinatown →Strand →

Boundary and listed buildings from City of Westminster and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.