Hampstead, South Hampstead and Belsize Conservation Areas Article 4 Consultation.

Overview

What are Article 4 Directions?

An Article 4 Direction removes permitted development rights for a specific property or area. This means a planning application will be needed.

Permitted development rights allow certain building works and changes of use to be carried out without a planning application.

We are reviewing the Article 4 Directions in the borough that relate to conservation areas, including the existing Article 4 Directions in Hampstead, South Hampstead and Belsize Conservation Areas.

The existing Article 4 in place for Hampstead, South Hampstead and Belsize Conservation Areas means planning permission is required to install Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panels or solar thermal equipment at the front or side of a property.  It is proposed to replace this with a new Article 4 Direction, which would mean that these works would no longer require planning permission.

Check whether your property is in the conservation area.

Why are we making the new Article 4 Directions?

In September 2010 Article 4 Directions were made covering Hampstead, South Hampstead and Belsize Conservation Areas.

In 2019 Camden declared a climate and ecological emergency. Planning Guidance Home Improvements (adopted January 2021) sets out how residents can alter their properties to reduce carbon emissions, retrofitting being something supported and promoted by the Council. One of the key recommendations outlined is the installation of low carbon and renewable technologies for energy generation – such as solar photovoltaics and solar thermal/water heating. 

To make the installation of these easier, a new Article 4 Direction was made on 9 June 2025. These are identical to the existing Directions, with the exception that they will no longer cover the following:

• installation, alteration or replacement of microgeneration solar PV or solar thermal equipment on a dwellinghouse or a block of flats; or a building situated within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse or a block of flats,
• installation, alteration or replacement of stand-alone solar for microgeneration within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse or a block of flats.

What happens next?

If these Article 4 Directions are confirmed by the Council they will come into force in June 2026, and at the same time, the 2010 Article 4 Directions will be cancelled.  
From this date the installation of PV Solar Panel and Solar Thermal equipment would not require planning permission (under Schedule 2 Part 14 of the 2015 GPDO), provided that certain requirements are met*. All other works covered by the 2010 Direction will remain and be included in the new Direction.

*The requirements include the following:

PV Solar Panels and solar thermal equipment:

• do not protrude more than 20cm beyond the plane of a wall or roof,
• would not be higher than the highest part of the roof,
• are not installed on a wall which fronts a highway,
• are not installed on a listed building, are sited, so far as practicable, to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building,
• are removed, as soon as practicable when no longer needed.

Stand-alone solar

•  no more than 1 is installed within the curtilage of the building,
•  is not more than 2 metres in height, where it is on land between a highway and  dwelling house or block of flats.  Elsewhere it must not exceed 4 metres in height,
•  is not installed within 5 metres of the boundary
•  is not installed within the curtilage of a listed building
•  are sited, so far as practicable, to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building,
• are removed, as soon as practicable when no longer needed.

Before confirming the Article 4 Directions, we invite you to comment on them:
•    online at the link below
•    by email to Article4consultation@camden.gov.uk, or
•    by post to Conservation Team, Development Management, London Borough of Camden, Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE.

Where to view the Article 4 Directions?

You can download a pdf copy of the Article 4 Directions in the related documents below.

Paper copies of the Article 4 Directions are also available to view at the following libraries:

•    Swiss Cottage
•    Pancras Square