Article 4 directions
What is an article 4 direction?
An article 4 direction is a direction under article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order which enables a local planning authority to withdraw specified permitted development rights across a defined area. This means you may need planning permission for development that would normally be permitted.
This page details our current definitive article 4 direction list. However, we strongly recommend that you check any information with us by calling 020 7361 3012.
Commercial, Business and Service use to residential use
(Article number 106)
The Council has made a non-immediate Article 4 direction to remove the permitted development rights ordinarily granted by Class MA of Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended). That is:
Development consisting of a change of use of a building and any land within its curtilage from a use falling within Class E (commercial, business and service) of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) (“the UCO”) to a use falling within Class C3 (dwellinghouses) of Schedule 1 to the UCO.
The Council will consider any representations received before deciding whether to confirm the Article 4 direction. This confirmation must take place in a years time if the Council is not to be liable for the payment of any compensation associated with the removal of the permitted development right. As such, subject to consideration of representations, the Direction will come into force on 1 August 2022.
View the details of the decision to make the Article 4 direction.
On 28th February 2022 the Council received a letter from the Minister of State for Housing stating that,
“the Secretary of State is expecting the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to reconsider the proposed Article 4 Direction. Additional evidence is requested to demonstrate that you have considered the application of Article 4 Direction to individual streets or smaller areas within the Central Activities Zone, and taking consideration of the safeguards that apply to the new commercial to residential permitted development rights, to ensure that the Article 4 Direction is proposed only where it would have wholly unacceptable impacts and applies to the smallest geographical area possible.
Where you are also proposing an Article 4 Direction in areas outside of the CAZ, the same policy applies and therefore you are also requested to provide additional evidence for each of these areas to demonstrate why the application of Article 4 Directions are necessary or cannot be reduced to apply to a smaller geographical area.”
The Council is currently considering the contents of this letter and what additional evidence can be provided.
Office to residential use
(Article number 104)
The Council has confirmed the article 4 direction initially made in July 2017 to remove the permitted development rights ordinarily granted by Class O, Part 3 of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended), allowing the change of use of a premises in an office use (Class B1a) to a dwelling house.
The article 4 direction came into force on 31 May 2019. It replaced an earlier exemption to the prior approval. The article 4 direction relates to all offices across the borough.
Light industrial land
(Article number 102)
The Council has confirmed the article 4 direction initially made on 23 September 2016 to remove the permitted development rights ordinarily allowed under Class PA of Part 3 of Schedule 2 of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (as amended), allowing the change of use of a premises in light industrial use to a dwelling house.
The direction concerns all relevant properties in the following areas:
- St Helen’s, Golborne, Notting Dale and Colville wards;
- The Lots Road Employment Zone;
The Council has also made article 4 directions for the following car repair garages outside of these areas:
- 17-19 Edge Street, W8 7PH
- 7 Russell Garden Mews, W14 8EU
- 13-14 Osten Mews, SW7 4HW
- 14-17 Astwood Mews, SW7 4ED
- 4, 5, 8, 9 and 23 Astwood Mews, SW7 4ED
- 16a Portobello Mews, W11 3DG
- Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, SW3 3DZ
Where in a B1(c) light industrial use. The direction came into force on 1 October 2017.
Launderettes
To homes:
(Article number 101)
The Council has an article 4 direction in place which has removed the permitted development rights ordinarily allowed under Schedule 2, Part 3, Class M of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 for the following launderettes.
- 154 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4EF
- 111 Earl’s Court Road, London SW5 9RL
- 28 Golborne Road, London W10 5PF
- 52 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR
- 341 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 6DW
- 395 King’s Road, London SW10 0LR
- 76 Tavistock Road, London W11 1AN
This means that planning permission is required for the change of use of a launderette to a residential use, and the building operations reasonably necessary to carry out this conversion. This direction came into force on 24 July 2017.
To offices:
(Article number 105)
The Council has an article 4 direction in place which has removed the permitted development rights ordinarily allowed under Schedule 2, Part 3, Class JA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 for the following launderettes.
- 154 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4EF
- 111 Earl’s Court Road, London SW5 9RL
- 28 Golborne Road, London W10 5PF
- 52 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR
- 341 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 6DW
- 395 King’s Road, London SW10 0LR
- 76 Tavistock Road, London W11 1AN
This means that planning permission is required for the change of use of a launderette to an office use, and the building operations reasonably necessary to carry out this conversion. This direction comes into force on 7th September 2020.
Full details are set out below:
Basements
(Article number 100)
The Council made an Article 4 Direction on 15 April 2015 to remove permitted development rights for basement extensions (the Article 4 Direction defines the rights that will be removed) to single dwelling houses across the borough. The Council consulted on the article 4 direction between 24 April and 8 June 2015 and it came into force on 28 April 2016. It applies to the entire area of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Key decision report recommending confirmation
Public houses
The Council has made and confirmed Article 4 Directions on The Academy Public House and Kensington Park Hotel Public House. These have removed the permitted development rights which would ordinarily allow a change of use, without the need for planning permission, from an A4 use (a public house) to an A1 use (a shop), A2 use (financial and professional service) or an A3 use (restaurant), either on a permanent or on a flexible temporary basis.”
The Academy Public House
- 14-11-07 Academy Report (flexible use) - making [PDF] (file size 168Kb)
- 14-11-05 Academy Article 4 Direction - making [PDF] (file size 1.4Mb)
- 14-11-05 Academy Article 4 Report - making [PDF] (file size 166Kb)
- 14-11-07 Academy Article 4 Direction - making [PDF] (file size 1.32Mb)
- 15-04-27 Academy Article 4 Report - confirming [PDF] (file size 668Kb)
- 15-05-01 Academy First Article 4 Direction - confirming [PDF] (file size 1.4Mb)
- 15-05-01 Academy Second Article 4 Direction - confirming [PDF] (file size 1.34Mb)
Kensington Park Hotel
- 14-12-22 Kensington Park Hotel - Article 4 Direction - making [PDF] (file size 978Kb)
- 14-12-19 Kensington Park Hotel Article 4 Report - making [PDF] (file size 158Kb)
- 15-02-09 Kensington Park Hotel Article 4 Report - confirming [PDF] (file size 227Kb)
- 15-04-08 Kensington Park Hotel - Article 4 Direction - confirming [PDF] (file size 2.58Mb)
Article 4 Conservation Areas
To find out more about Article 4 directions within Conservation Areas please visit the Article 4 Directions in Conservation Areas page.