I have worked on projects in the London Borough of Camden, including One Oak in West Hampstead , a contemporary extension and a new garage for a Grade II listed Arts and Crafts house in a conservation area.
Camden looks carefully at heritage and householder applications, so knowing how it approaches a proposal is part of getting a project onto the right footing.
- Council planning pages
- London Borough of Camden
- Local Plan
- The Camden Local Plan (adopted July 2017). Local Plan page. A new Local Plan is being prepared.
- What to submit with an application
- Local validation requirements.
- Article 4 directions
- Camden has Article 4 directions in force across many of its conservation areas. These remove some permitted development rights, so a planning application is needed for work that might not need one elsewhere. Article 4 directions.
- Community Infrastructure Levy
- Camden charges the Community Infrastructure Levy, its own Camden levy alongside the Mayor of London's, generally on development that adds 100 square metres or more of floorspace or an extra home. Community Infrastructure Levy page.
- Conservation areas and heritage
- Much of the borough sits within a conservation area, and Camden has a large number of listed buildings, so the effect of a proposal on the historic environment is a frequent consideration. Conservation pages.
- Local guidance
- Camden publishes detailed planning guidance that sets out how its Local Plan policies are applied in practice. Supplementary planning documents.
What this means for your project
In Camden, two things shape most of the residential work I do: the borough’s heritage, and the way permitted development rights have been removed in many areas through Article 4 directions. If your property is in a conservation area or is listed, expect the council to look closely at materials, detailing and the effect on the wider area, and expect to need an application for work that might be permitted development elsewhere. Where the Community Infrastructure Levy applies, it is worth allowing for that cost early. I check the current position for your specific address before any drawings are prepared.
Last checked: 31 May 2026. page review needed Planning policy, charges and local designations change over time, so please confirm the current position with the council before relying on this summary.