Merton's protected areas, from Wimbledon Village to Mitcham

Where in Merton does a conservation area application actually get determined?

Merton district by district: the stock that dominates each one, and which council validates an application coming out of it. Fees quoted lower down are statutory England rates for 2026.

How does a conservation area application differ street by street across Merton?

The borough runs from Wimbledon Village to Mitcham, and the building stock changes as sharply as the street names do. Pitch, plot depth and wall construction all bear on what a scheme can achieve at a single address.

• Wimbledon (SW19, SW20) — Victorian villas, Edwardian terraces defines Wimbledon, where victorian villas, edwardian terraces set what a conservation area application can do. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans across SW19. Any Wimbledon conservation area application is validated by Merton Council, with All England Club the usual Wimbledon reference point on the site plan.
• Wimbledon Village (SW19) — Georgian and Victorian village conservation defines Wimbledon Village, where georgian and victorian villas set what a conservation area application can do. Applications on Georgian stock here almost always need a heritage statement alongside the drawings across SW19. Any Wimbledon Village conservation area application is validated by Merton Council, with Wimbledon Village High Street the usual Wimbledon Village reference point on the site plan.
• Raynes Park (SW20) — a conservation area application in Raynes Park starts from 1930s semi-detached, edwardian terraces, and Raynes Park reads as 1930s semi-detached, Edwardian terraces. Edwardian houses here typically need the same householder set plus a roof plan where a dormer is proposed in SW20. Merton Council assesses Raynes Park conservation area applications against its own Raynes Park character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Raynes Park references Raynes Park station.
• Morden (SM4) — a conservation area application in Morden starts from 1930s semi-detached, post-war flats, and Morden reads as 1930s semi-detached, post-war flats. On these 1930s semis the prior approval route often replaces a full application in SM4. Merton Council assesses Morden conservation area applications against its own Morden character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Morden references Morden Tube.
• Mitcham (CR4) — 1930s semi-detached, post-war estates defines Mitcham, where 1930s semi-detached, post-war estates set what a conservation area application can do. On these 1930s semis the prior approval route often replaces a full application across CR4. Any Mitcham conservation area application is validated by Merton Council, with Mitcham Cricket Green the usual Mitcham reference point on the site plan.
• Colliers Wood (SW19) — conservation area application work in Colliers Wood means edwardian terraces, post-war flats. Colliers Wood is Edwardian terraces, post-war flats. Edwardian houses here typically need the same householder set plus a roof plan where a dormer is proposed throughout SW19. Merton Council decides the Colliers Wood application, and Colliers Wood Tube anchors the Colliers Wood location plan.
• South Wimbledon (SW19) — conservation area application work in South Wimbledon means edwardian terraces. South Wimbledon is Edwardian terraces. Edwardian houses here typically need the same householder set plus a roof plan where a dormer is proposed throughout SW19. Merton Council decides the South Wimbledon application, and South Wimbledon Tube anchors the South Wimbledon location plan.

What local planning policy applies to a conservation area application in Merton?

Merton conservation designations: 28 in total, running from the Village down to Mitcham Cricket Green and taking in the common at Wimbledon on the way. Designation takes away the permitted development route, so the work becomes a householder planning application instead of a prior approval. The householder application fee in England is £548, with an eight-week target. The fee for a larger householder prior approval is £249, and that route runs to six weeks. Which designation you happen to sit in matters rather less than how visible the change is from the pavement, and no published figure ranks one Merton area as harder than another.

Article 4 and your Merton conservation area application: Merton Council has made no borough-wide direction, so permitted development for a conservation area application in Merton generally survives outside Merton conservation areas and listed curtilages. A Lawful Development Certificate at £274 is how a SW19 owner records that a conservation area application was lawful.

What Merton is built from: Victorian villas in Wimbledon; Edwardian terraces in Tooting and Colliers Wood; 1930s semi-detached in Morden and Raynes Park; post-war flats in Mitcham. Wimbledon is heavily conservation-controlled; outer Merton (Morden, Mitcham) is permissive. That mix decides the conservation area application route in Merton more than the postcode does.

Which neighbouring authorities border Merton?

• Kingston upon Thames — the Kingston upon Thames boundary runs against Merton, so a conservation area application a street from Merton is decided by Kingston Council instead. Kingston upon Thames runs 22 conservation areas across KT1 and its neighbours, which is why conservation area applications priced for Merton are re-checked against Kingston upon Thames policy whenever the Merton address sits on that edge.
• Wandsworth — adjoining Merton, with 45 conservation areas centred on SW8. A conservation area application on the far side of the Merton line is determined by Wandsworth Council, so the Merton quote for conservation area applications is checked against Wandsworth guidance before it is issued.
• Lambeth — the Lambeth boundary runs against Merton, so a conservation area application a street from Merton is decided by Lambeth Council instead. Lambeth runs 64 conservation areas across SE1 and its neighbours, which is why conservation area applications priced for Merton are re-checked against Lambeth policy whenever the Merton address sits on that edge.
• Croydon — cross the Merton boundary and Croydon Council takes the conservation area application instead, applying 24 conservation areas of its own around CR0. We re-price conservation area applications at the Merton edge because Croydon policy and Merton policy rarely align on conservation area application depth.

Sources for this Merton conservation area application page: borough policies maps and conservation-area registers (2025–26), Royal Mail postcode district boundaries, the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (England) Regulations, the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 as amended, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.