Bromley Conservation Areas
Handcrafted in Britain since 2012
Conservation areas in the London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is the largest of all 32 boroughs, and it has a total of 47 conservation areas, which is the fifth highest in London. The conservation areas in Bromley hugely vary from the Nash rural hamlet conservation area just outside Keston, covering around 12 properties, to the Chislehurst conservation area which covers an area stretching from the A20 on Bromley’s eastern border, all the way to Chislehurst station.
Why does Bromley have conservation areas?
Conservation areas are usually designated for their distinct architectural features in the housing stock such as the Shortlands Village Conservation Area which had a new appraisal and management plan adopted in June 2025. Some can be designated for other reasons, for example the Biggin Hill RAF Station conservation area which was designated in 1993 due to it’s historical significance specifically relating to the Battle of Britain.
When a local authority designates a conservation area, the permitted development rights of homeowners and property owners within those areas are reduced. This could mean that your rights to construct an extension without permission are reduced or removed, it could mean that you would need to apply for permission to replace your windows, or it could even specify where you are permitted to fix a satellite dish to your property. Each conservation area has different guidance and rules, and the specific information for each area is contained within the area’s appraisal and management plan.
What does living in a conservation area mean if you are planning to replace your windows?
Generally speaking, if you are in a conservation area in Bromley (whether an Article 4 Direction – a formal restriction on permitted development – is in place or not) you will need to submit a planning application if you want to replace your windows or doors. If you are planning to replace your windows or doors with new timber versions (and the property has or originally had timber windows), then the application is largely a formality. The local authority uses the application process in this instance to ensure that, for example, UPVC window are not fitted where timber windows would have originally been, especially on the front or street facing elevations.
At WSW, we have lots of experience in submitting planning applications for our clients and have submitted dozens of applications in the London Borough of Bromley in the past two years. We can prepare and submit the application on your behalf, and liaise with the local authority all the way through to decision.
For more information on our planning service, please visit our planning page by clicking the link below.