Planning

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Contact Details

• Planning & Regeneration Department
  Wyncham House
  207, Longlands Road,
  Sidcup, Kent
  DA15 7JH
• 020 8303 7777

Useful Links

• Bexley Civic Society
• Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
• Easy Access to Historic Buildings
• English Heritage
• Garden History Society
• Home Information Packs and older buildings
• PastScape
• Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Conservation and Listed Buildings

Conservation Areas

Bexley addresses within Conservation Areas

Conservation Areas are defined by local planning authorities after consultation with the residents and other occupiers of the buildings affected. They are areas of special architectural or historic interest where extra attention is given to scenic issues and the protection of our heritage. Statements of Character have been published for each of the areas designated in Bexley and can be supplied free of charge on request.

Brief descriptions of the Borough’s conservation areas are included in our Unitary Development Plan, and can be viewed here.

Conservation Areas Review

The London Borough of Bexley is currently reviewing all Conservation Areas in Bexley. As part of that review we are consulting local people on the area appraisals and management plans that support our Conservation Areas.  We are currently consulting on draft area appraisals and management plans for two Conservation Areas:

• Iron Mill Lane, Crayford
• Foots Cray Village

The consultation exercise for these two Areas runs until 25 August 2008. You can find out more here.

Following public consultation in 2007 and 2008, the Council has adopted Area Appraisals and Management Plans for eleven Conservation Areas:

• Brook Street, Northumberland Heath (1.59MB, PDF file)
• Christ Church, Sidcup (1.78MB, PDF file)
• Erith Road, Belvedere (1.38MB, PDF file)
• Halfway Street, Sidcup (1.61MB, PDF file)
• High Beeches, North Cray (1.59MB, PDF file)
• Longlands Road, Sidcup (1.24MB, PDF file)
• Oak Road, Slade Green (1.11MB, PDF file)
• Red House Lane, Bexleyheath (1.35MB, PDF file)
• Star Hill, Crayford (1.81MB, PDF file)
• Willersley Avenue and Braundton Avenue, Sidcup (1.53MB, PDF file)
• Woolwich Road, Upper Belvedere (1.94MB, PDF file)

The Council will consult on area appraisals and management plans for the remaining ten Conservation Areas later in 2008 and 2009.

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Building Works in Conservation Areas

Demolition or the significant alteration of walls or buildings should not take place in a Conservation Area unless the Council has issued a Conservation Area Consent for the work. The process of seeking this consent is similar to the process of making a planning application. Both decisions are usually reached simultaneously after a period of press advertisement and close consideration by the Conservation Advisory Committee. A Site Notice inviting comment is normally displayed during the period of press advertisement. (NB. some low walls and small buildings are exempt, please call our Development Control staff if you need more information on the size limits).

Trees in Conservation Areas should not be pruned, felled or up-rooted unless six weeks advance notice has been given to the Development and Public Protection Department. During that period staff would consider whether a Tree Preservation Order might be appropriate. Some trees in Conservation Areas are already protected in that way, and some individual buildings may be subject to Article 4 Directions or Listed by central government. Some other buildings of architectural interest are featured on Bexley's local list. Grants are occasionally awarded from the Bexley Heritage Fund to support the repair or restoration of buildings in Conservation Areas, particularly any on the national or local list.

The Planning and Regeneration Department is always ready to receive suggestions for restoration or enhancement projects that might be progressed in these precious areas.

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Listed Buildings

Some buildings of special architectural or historic interest appear on a list maintained by the Department for Culture Media and Sport and are generally known as Listed Buildings. You can download a list of those property addresses within Bexley which are currently Listed (473 KB, PDF file). Anyone intending to demolish part or all of such a building or to alter it in some way that would affect its setting, architectural or historical interest should discuss their proposals with staff in the Council's Development and Public Protection Department. It may be that a Listed Building Consent would be needed before the works could legally proceed. This might be in addition to any consent needed to meet the Building Regulations or to obtain Planning Permission. Applications for a Listed Building Consent will be advertised in the press and by means of a Site Notice; they will probably be considered by the Conservation Advisory Committee before determination by the Planning Control Committee. Whenever the Council itself needs to make one of these applications, then a Secretary of State will be asked to make the decision.

Listed Buildings need to be treated with great respect and owners and occupiers should realise that it is a criminal offence to carry out work that needs Listed Building Consent without obtaining it beforehand. Some other local buildings are featured on a local list or subject to Article 4 Directions. These are also safeguarded for architectural reasons in the public interest. Please contact staff of the Development and Public Protection Department if you need more details or to find out whether a particular building is listed.

Grants are occasionally awarded from the Bexley Heritage Fund to support the repair or restoration of historic buildings, especially those appearing on the national or local list. The Guidance Notes (27KB, PDF file) are downloadable. Some works to Listed Buildings are exempt from Value Added Tax in order to encourage their proper care and maintenance.

To request a form to apply for a grant from the Bexley Heritage Fund please email planning.strategy@bexley.gov.uk or telephone 020 8308 7786.

More information about the protection of the built environment is available from www.english-heritage.org.uk.

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Buildings of Local Interest (The Local List)

Whilst a small number of nationally important historic buildings in Bexley are protected as Listed Buildings, the Council has always recognised that a lot more historic buildings in the area are valued by local people as part of the familiar and cherished local scene. These buildings are included on the Council's own local list of buildings of local architectural or historic interest. Entries range from a milestone to a clock tower, and from a tiny cottage to a large country house.

There are currently around 370 entries on the local list and the Council is committed to keeping the list under review.