Chris Best

Sydenham Society AGM

7pm Thursday 17 October 2024

I was delighted to join the Sydenham Society at their Annual General Meeting on the 17 October to support their work over 52 years. Ellie Reeves MP was re-elected as Vice President for another year and I spoke about local planning issues as well as my work as Chair of SEE3 - www.SEE3.uk

As the Council's Heritage Champion I support Lewisham Council's 29 CAs and Sydenham has the highest concentration with six: Sydenham Hill, Sydenham Park, Halifax Street, Jews Walk, Cobbs Corner and Sydenham Thorpes.

A conservation area (CA) is statutorily defined as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Planning permission is required for some external works to houses within a CA and some CAs have Article 4 directions including Sydenham Thorpes. As a result, planning permission is usually required for certain minor changes, including the replacement of windows and doors, the alteration to or the creation of front porches, the paving of front gardens, the creation of a cross over, the replacement of roof materials, and erection, alteration or removal of a chimney, boundary wall, gates or any other architectural feature.