Development opportunities in Kingston
Planning applications should follow Kingstons planning policy.
We make decisions on planning applications by checking them against our planning policy framework. It helps to protect our borough’s natural beauty, heritage and communities. Your planning application should be designed with these policies in mind.
Our development plan
The current Development Plan for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames consists of the following:
- The London Plan
- Core Strategy (2012)
- Kingston Town Centre Area Action Plan (2008)
- The South London Waste Plan (2012)
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD’s)
Supplementary Planning Documents give more detail to the policies in the Development Plan Documents.
We have adopted the following Supplementary Planning Documents:
- Access for All
- Affordable Housing
- Cocks Crescent
- Eden Quarter
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Financial Viability in Planning
- Planning Obligations
- Residential Design
- Riverside Public Realm
- Shop Front and Shop Sign Design Guide
- Sustainable Transport
Conservation and listed buildings
Conservation protects areas of special architectural and historic interest, to make sure that their unique character can be preserved or enhanced.
There are special planning controls and policies in conservation areas and for listed buildings. This means that Certain types of work need our approval, when normally they wouldn't.
Some conservation areas have detailed background information and associated special studies that need to be taken into account as part of your planning application. You may also need to apply for other types of consent such as listed building consent or scheduled monument consent.
It is important to check if your property is a heritage asset, or if there are any heritage assets nearby that may be affected by your proposals.
- Listed buildings
- list of conservation areas
- Local Areas of Special Character
- check if your property is in a conservation area using the map
- Heritage and Conservation policies in Kingston
Article 4 directions
Article 4 directions are currently in place to protect our town centres and key employment areas in the borough.
If your project wouldn’t usually need planning permission because it's classed as permitted development, a planning application will need to be submitted if an Article 4 direction is in place.
You can download a list of the areas within the Article 4 Direction.
Works to trees
If your project will affect any trees, you’ll need to check if there is a tree preservation order (TPO) in place.
If your project affects trees in a conservation area, you’ll need to apply for permission for this work.