Conservation and urban design
Lambeth's Conservation and Urban Design team provides advice on works relating to protected trees in private property, works relating to historic buildings and affecting conservation areas, and wider urban design matters.
The team's primary role is to assist with the determining of applications made to the Planning Service, but it also provides pre-application advice, management advice and guidelines.
Award for Clapham Common bandstand
Dannatt Johnson Architects has been shortlisted for a RIBA Award for their recently completed restoration of Clapham Common bandstand. Our Conservation and Design team was closely involved in the painstaking restoration. Find out more
A Conservation Area is an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. There are 60 Conservation Areas in Lambeth, varying greatly in age, size, character and style. Better-known Conservation Areas include the South Bank and Clapham.
Parks and open spaces play a vital role in the lives of Lambeth residents, providing usable open space for sports and concerts and also more formal historic gardens. The borough has eight landscapes included on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, a system designed to protect and enhance historically important landscapes, the amenity value that they offer, and their importance in respect of nature conservation.
Lambeth has more than 2,000 statutory listed buildings. They represent the best of the borough's buildings of historical or architectural interest, and range from post boxes and water troughs to the Royal Festival Hall and the Georgian terraces of Kennington. Buildings on the statutory list are deemed nationally important and are protected by law.
Trees and hedges in private gardens, parks and streets need to be selected and planted with care, and managed appropriately to make the most of their potential to enhance their environment. Trees may be protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or other legal procedures to make sure that they are not lost or damaged needlessly.
At Lambeth, urban design advice is an integral part of the Planning Service. We want the right kind of development that enhances the character of the borough and improves living conditions and the experience for existing and new residents, visitors and businesses.
View the latest versions of the draft and adopted conservation and urban design SPDs.