About the Strand Conservation Area
The Strand Conservation Area covers about 34 hectares and was designated by City of Westminster in 1994. Inside the boundary are 84 listed buildings (6 Grade I, 11 Grade II*, 67 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Clement Danes, Grade I. 2 Article 4 directions over the area remove further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 12 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.
- 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 Clement DanesGrade I
- Church of St Mary Le StrandGrade I
- Royal Courts of Justice: The Law Courts, Screen Walls, Gates, Railings and LampsGrade I
- Screen Walls, Gates, Railings and Lamps to the Law CourtsGrade I
- Somerset House and King's College Old BuildingGrade I
- Statue of George III in Somerset House QuadrangleGrade I
- 229, Strand Wc2Grade II*
- 32, Essex Street Wc2Grade II*
- Former Law Fire Insurance Office Number 16 (excluding the Former Numbers 13 and 14/15)Grade II*
- Gates, Railings and Gate Piers to Number 2 Temple PlaceGrade II*
- Glyn MillsGrade II*
- Royal Courts of Justice: West Green BuildingGrade II*
- The Civil Service Rifles War MemorialGrade II*
- The Law SocietyGrade II*
- The Old Curiosity ShopGrade II*
- The Royal College of SurgeonsGrade II*
- Two Temple PlaceGrade II*
- 11, Essex Street Wc2Grade II
- 115, Chancery Lane Wc2Grade II
- 116, Chancery Lane Wc2Grade II
- 119 and 120, Chancery Lane Wc2Grade II
- 123 and 124, Chancery Lane Wc2Grade II
- 125, Chancery Lane Wc2Grade II
- 126, Chancery Lane Wc2Grade II
Show all 84 listed buildings ↓All 84 listed buildings
- 14, Essex Street Wc2Grade II
- 152 and 153, Strand Wc2Grade II
- 18 Lampstandards in Somerset House QuadrangleGrade II
- 19, Essex Street Wc2Grade II
- 193, Fleet Street Ec4Grade II
- 20, Devereux CourtGrade II
- 226, Strand Wc2Grade II
- 23, Devereux Court Wc2Grade II
- 230, Strand Wc2Grade II
- 33 and 34 Surrey StreetGrade II
- 34, Essex Street Wc2Grade II
- 35, Essex Street Wc2Grade II
- 4 and 5, Bell Yard Wc2Grade II
- 6 and 7, Portugal Street and 5, St Clement's LaneGrade II
- Aldwych Underground StationGrade II
- Australia House and Government of Victoria OfficesGrade II
- Bush House Centre Block with flanking colonnadesGrade II
- Cabmen's ShelterGrade II
- California HouseGrade II
- Cheshire Cheese Public HouseGrade II
- Clement HouseGrade II
- Devereux ChambersGrade II
- Early C17 cistern to Old Somerset House (aka The Roman Bath)Grade II
- Embankment River Wall, Stairs and Lamp StandardsGrade II
- Essex Watergate Closing South End of StreetGrade II
- Former Lloyds BankGrade II
- Former Number 13 (now Part of Number 16) Bell YardGrade II
- Former Numbers 14 and 15 (now Part of Number 16)Grade II
- Gates and Railings to Her Majesty's Land Registry BuildingGrade II
- Her Majesty's Land Registry BuildingGrade II
- India HouseGrade II
- Inveresk HouseGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk at Junction With Bell YardGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk at Junction With Temple PlaceGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk Near Junction With Fleet StreetGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk, The Easternmost of Group of Four Kiosks to North of Royal Courts of JusticeGrade II
- K2 Telephone Kiosk, The Westernmost of Group of Four Kiosks to North of Royal Courts of JusticeGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk Adjacent to Easternmost of Group of Four Kiosks to North of Royal Courts of JusticeGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk, Adjcent to Westernmost of Group of Four Kiosks to North of Royal Courts of JusticeGrade II
- King's ChambersGrade II
- Lady Henry Somerset MemorialGrade II
- Lampstandard Ventilator Numbered 40 on Island in RoadGrade II
- Last Temple HouseGrade II
- Lincoln ChambersGrade II
- Marconi HouseGrade II
- Memorial to Wt Stead, Temple PierGrade II
- Novello TheatreGrade II
- Royal Courts of Justice: Queen's Court BuildingGrade II
- St Clement's Watch HouseGrade II
- Statue of Doctor Johnson in Churchyard at East End of St Clement DanesGrade II
- Statue of Ik BrunelGrade II
- Statue of John Stuart MillGrade II
- Statue of W E Gladstone on Island in RoadGrade II
- Statue of William Edward ForsterGrade II
- Temple Bar Memorial in centre of roadGrade II
- The Aldwych TheatreGrade II
- The Old Bank of EnglandGrade II
- The Union Society, King's College and the Former Queen's and Norfolk HotelsGrade II
- The Waldorf HotelGrade II
- Twining'sGrade II
Streets in the conservation area
Streets with listed buildings inside the boundary. Boundaries often split a street — check your exact address.
The council’s appraisal
WEBStrand 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.