Lewisham Park conservation area

The Lewisham Park Conservation Area appraisal was adopted on 26 June 2019 following public consultation. It sets out the key characteristics that make the area special and that we seek to preserve and enhance through our planning policies.

Lewisham Park was developed by the Viscount of Lewisham, Lord Dartmouth, in the late 19th century as a prestigious rural retreat to attract city merchants to the area.

Much of the original development was destroyed in World War II but the large Victorian and Edwardian houses on the southern and eastern edges of the park survived. It is these houses that give the conservation area its architectural significance.

The huge Victorian houses date back to the 1880s, have a rather reserved appearance, and feature a striking consistency of detailing, albeit with subtle variations between houses.

The Edwardian houses, which date back to the 1900s, have a more genial appearance with warm tones, textures and playful details.

The gardens to the front and rear partially screen the built form and connect it visually with Lewisham Park, which sits opposite. The park became a public amenity in 1965 and retains many of its original trees.

The Memorial Garden at its western end provides a link between the high street and the park, enhanced by the generous spacing between the three Lewisham Park Towers (also 1965), which allows you to see the trees and mature vegetation beyond.