Soho Conservation Area (Westminster)

About the Soho Conservation Area

The Soho Conservation Area covers about 34 hectares and was designated by City of Westminster in 1990. Inside the boundary are 218 listed buildings (2 Grade I, 20 Grade II*, 196 Grade II). The most significant is House of St Barnabas, Grade I. 2 Article 4 directions over the area remove 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.

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 Soho 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.

House of St BarnabasGrade I
Quo Vadis RestaurantGrade I
1-7, Meard Street W1Grade II*
11, Golden Square W1Grade II*
13-21, Meard Street W1Grade II*
13, Soho Square W1Grade II*
15, Frith Street W1Grade II*
2-6, Meard Street W1Grade II*
26, Soho Square W1Grade II*
6, FRITH STREET W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II*
60, Frith Street W1Grade II*
67 and 68, Dean Street W1Grade II*
76, Dean Street W1Grade II*
78, Dean Street W1Grade II*
88, Dean Street W1Grade II*
9 and 11, Meard Street W1Grade II*
MEARD STREET W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II*
Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic ChurchGrade II*
Palace TheatreGrade II*
Roman Catholic Church of St PatricksGrade II*
The French Protestant ChurchGrade II*
Tower of St Anne's Church, SohoGrade II*
1 and 2, Marlborough Court W1Grade II
10 and 10a, Soho Square W1Grade II

Show all 218 listed buildings ↓

10 AND 12, GANTON STREET W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II
10 Bollards in Pairs at Junctions With Kingly Street, Carnaby Street, Marshall Street, Upper James Street and Upper John StreetGrade II
101, Charing Cross RoadGrade II
105-109, Oxford Street and 16-18 Hollen StreetGrade II
11, Newburgh Street W1Grade II
11, Poland Street W1Grade II
12, Brewer Street W1Grade II
12, Newburgh Street W1Grade II
12a, Newburgh Street W1Grade II
13-17, OLD COMPTON STREET W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II
13, D'arblay Street W1Grade II
13, Moor Street W1Grade II
130 and 132, Wardour StreetGrade II
133-135, Oxford StreetGrade II
14, Greek Street W1Grade II
14, Manette Street W1Grade II
147, Oxford StreetGrade II
15 Poland Street W1Grade II
15, Soho Square W1Grade II
152-160, Wardour Street W1Grade II
16 and 17, Manette Street W1Grade II
16, Frith Street W1Grade II
161, Wardour StreetGrade II
163, Wardour Street W1Grade II
165, Wardour Street W1Grade II
17, Carlisle Street W1Grade II
17, Greek Street W1Grade II
18-20, Coventry Street Wc2Grade II
187, Wardour Street W1Grade II
19-21, Great Marlborough Street W1Grade II
19, Beak Street W1Grade II
19, Carlisle Street W1Grade II
19, Golden Square W1Grade II
19, Kingly Street W1Grade II
2 Bollards at Junction With D'arblay StreetGrade II
2 Bollards at Junction With Duck LaneGrade II
2 Lampstandards in From of Number 14Grade II
2-10, Newburgh Street W1Grade II
2-8, GANTON STREET W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II
2, D'arblay Street W1Grade II
2, Lower John Street W1Grade II
2, Lowndes Court W1Grade II
2, Old Compton StreetGrade II
2, Soho Square W1Grade II
20-24, Shaftesbury AvenueGrade II
20, GOLDEN SQUARE (See details for further address information)Grade II
20, Greek Street W1Grade II
20, Warwick Street W1Grade II
21, Beak Street W1Grade II
21, Carnaby Street W1Grade II
21, Golden Square W1Grade II
21, Greek Street W1Grade II
21, Romilly Street W1Grade II
21, Soho Square W1Grade II
21A, NOEL STREET W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II
22, Carnaby Street W1Grade II
22, Frith Street W1Grade II
22, Romilly Street W1Grade II
23, Beak Street W1Grade II
23, Carnaby Street W1Grade II
23, Golden Square W1Grade II
23, Great Pulteney Street W1Grade II
24, Berwick StreetGrade II
24, Carnaby Street W1Grade II
24, Ganton StreetGrade II
24, Golden Square W1Grade II
24, Poland Street W1Grade II
25-27, Carnaby Street W1Grade II
25, D'arblay Street W1Grade II
26, Frith Street W1Grade II
27, St Anne's Court W1Grade II
28, 28a and 29, Carnaby Street W1Grade II
28, St Anne's Court W1Grade II
29, Great Windmill Street W1Grade II
29, Old Compton Street W1Grade II
3 Bollards Across Junction With Newburgh StreetGrade II
3 Bollards Across Junction With Newburgh StreetGrade II
3, D'arblay Street W1Grade II
3, Greek Street W1Grade II
3, Lowndes Court W1Grade II
3, SOHO SQUARE W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II
31, Old Compton Street W1Grade II
32, Berwick Street W1Grade II
32, D'arblay StreetGrade II
33 and 33a, Dean Street W1Grade II
33 and 34, Marshall Street W1Grade II
33, D'arblay StreetGrade II
34, 35 and 36, Golden Square W1Grade II
34, Romilly Street W1Grade II
35, Great Pulteney Street W1Grade II
35, Marshall Street W1Grade II
35, Oxford StreetGrade II
36-40, Great Pulteney Street W1Grade II
36, Marshall Street W1Grade II
36, Soho Square W1Grade II
37 and 38, Frith Street W1Grade II
37, Soho Square W1Grade II
38 and 38a, Soho Square W1Grade II
39 and 40, Frith Street W1Grade II
4 4a, Lower John Street W1Grade II
4 Bollards,A Pair at Junction With Lower James Street,One Each at Corners of Lower John Street and Warwick StreetGrade II
4-6 Glasshouse StreetGrade II
4, 5 AND 6, SOHO SQUARE W1 (See details for further address information)Grade II
4, Carlisle Street W1Grade II
4, D'arblay Street W1Grade II
4, Old Compton StreetGrade II
40, Carnaby Street W1Grade II
40b, Greek Street W1Grade II
41 and 43, Beak Street W1Grade II
41, Lexington Street W1Grade II
43, Lexington Street W1Grade II
44 and 46, Lexington Street W1Grade II
44-48, Frith Street W1Grade II
45, Lexington Street W1Grade II
46, Berwick Street W1Grade II
46, Broadwick Street W1Grade II
47 and 49, Lexington Street W1Grade II
47, Berwick Street W1Grade II
48, Berwick Street W1Grade II
48, Dean Street W1Grade II
48, Great Marlborough Street W1Grade II
48, Greek Street W1Grade II
49 and 51, Brewer Street W1Grade II
49, Frith Street W1Grade II
5, Carlisle Street W1Grade II
5, Frith Street W1Grade II
5, Noel Street W1Grade II
5, Old Compton StreetGrade II
50, Greek Street W1Grade II
51 and 53, Lexington Street W1Grade II
52, Berwick Street W1Grade II
54, Poland Street W1Grade II
58 and 59, Frith Street W1Grade II
58, Berwick Street W1Grade II
58, Greek Street W1Grade II
6, Carlisle Street W1Grade II
6, Greek Street W1Grade II
6, Old Compton StreetGrade II
61, Frith Street W1Grade II
62, Dean Street W1Grade II
62, Frith Street W1Grade II
63 Old Compton StreetGrade II
63, Frith Street W1Grade II
64, Frith Street W1Grade II
68, Old Compton StreetGrade II
69 and 70, Dean Street W1Grade II
7 and 8, Kingly Street W1Grade II
7, Poland StreetGrade II
73, Beak Street W1Grade II
74, Wardour Street W1Grade II
77, Beak Street W1Grade II
77, Berwick Street W1Grade II
77, Dean Street W1Grade II
79-81, Berwick Street W1Grade II
79, Beak Street W1Grade II
79, Dean Street W1Grade II
8, Dean Street W1Grade II
8, Greek Street W1Grade II
80, Brewer Street W1Grade II
82, Brewer Street W1Grade II
86, Dean Street W1Grade II
90, Dean Street W1Grade II
99a, Charing Cross RoadGrade II
Bollard on Corner of Silver PlaceGrade II
Central Timber Framed Arbour/tool ShedGrade II
Coach and HorsesGrade II
Former St Patrick's Schools, 24 Great Chapel StreetGrade II
Former Welsh Presbyterian ChurchGrade II
Green Man Public HouseGrade II
Kettner's RestaurantGrade II
Liberty's WarehouseGrade II
Marshall Street BathsGrade II
Ncp Multi Storey Car ParkGrade II
Numbers 17 and 18 Including Upper Storeys of Number 18 and Access Thereto, Labelled 19Grade II
Pair of Piers With Urns Each Side of St Anne's, SohoGrade II
Quo Vadis RestaurantGrade II
Smiths CourtGrade II
St Patrick's PresbyteryGrade II
Statue of Charles II in Square GardenGrade II
Statue of George II in Centre of Square GardenGrade II
Sun and 13 Cantons Public HouseGrade II
The Apollo TheatreGrade II
The Clachan Public HouseGrade II
The Dog and Duck Public HouseGrade II
The George Public HouseGrade II
The Gielgud TheatreGrade II
The Hospital For WomenGrade II
The London PavilionGrade II
The Lyric TheatreGrade II
The Nellie Dean Public HouseGrade II
The Queen's TheatreGrade II
TrocaderoGrade II
Ventilation Standard and Bollards at Junction With Carnaby Street ApproachGrade II
Welsh Presbyterian Church ManseGrade II

Streets in the conservation area

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

Old Compton StreetOxford StreetCharing Cross RoadD'arblay StreetWardour StreetBerwick StreetGanton StreetGreat Chapel StreetOxford Street and 16-18 Hollen StreetPoland StreetShaftesbury AvenueUpper James Street and Upper John Street

The council’s appraisal

WEBSoho 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

Chinatown →Regent Street →Hanway Street →Leicester Square →Haymarket →Charlotte Street, West →

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