Windows for Central London Homes: A Guide by House Type

damiangoude

Oct 20

9 min read

The right windows for your home depend more on when and how it was built than on anything else. Central London is mostly Georgian and Victorian: the squares of Bloomsbury, Mayfair and Barnsbury, the white stucco terraces of Pimlico and Kensington, and the mansion blocks of Maida Vale and Chelsea, alongside landmark post-war estates such as the Barbican.

It is also the most protected part of the capital. London has more than 1,000 conservation areas, and in Kensington and Chelsea nearly three-quarters of the borough is covered. Most window projects here involve a planning conversation, so this guide covers the rules alongside the house types.

Aliluxe designs, supplies and installs aluminium, uPVC and timber windows and doors across London. Every recommendation here comes from what we see on surveys.

Georgian squares and terraces

Central London's Georgian estates were laid out between the late 1600s and the 1840s, mostly as terraced townhouses of three or four storeys over a basement.

Where you'll find them

Bloomsbury: developed from about 1660 to 1840, including Bedford Square (1775–76) and Russell Square (1800–17).
Mayfair: the Grosvenor family's estate, developed from the 1720s around Grosvenor Square.
Barnsbury, Islington: 'some of the finest sequences of squares and terraces in London', including Lonsdale, Gibson and Thornhill Squares.
Camberwell and Kennington: The historic houses along Camberwell Grove and Grove Lane were developed mainly from the 1770s to the 1840s, while Kennington’s Cleaver Square was laid out in 1789, with its surrounding houses built in stages over subsequent decades.
Waterloo: the uniform terraces of Roupell Street, built from the 1820s to the 1840s.
Hampstead: an 18th-century village core, with early 19th-century streets such as Downshire Hill.

What the windows are usually like

Timber box sashes with slender glazing bars. Camden says Bloomsbury's 'windows are mainly sliding sashes'.
Multi-paned sashes, often six over six, on the earliest houses.
Smaller sashes on the top floors, and internal shutters in the main rooms.

What we recommend

Many of these houses are listed, so any change needs listed building consent. Slim heritage double glazing in timber sashes, or secondary glazing, is the usual route.
In conservation areas, timber is expected on the front. Camden expects replacements to be in timber where timber is the traditional material.
Keep the glazing bars integral, not stuck on. Lambeth's guidance calls stick-on bars 'a poor substitute for authentic glazing bars'.
At the back of an unlisted house, where rules allow, REHAU uPVC sliding sash windows or slim aluminium doors to the garden.

Victorian stucco terraces and villas

From the 1820s builders such as Thomas Cubitt covered Pimlico, Belgravia and Kensington with white stucco terraces, and later Victorian brick houses filled in the gaps.

Where you'll find them

Pimlico: Thomas Cubitt developed Eccleston Square from 1828, with stucco terraces of the 1830s and 1840s.
Kensington: the Kensington Palace Gardens villas of 1842–56, and stucco terraces built mainly between the 1850s and the early 1870s.
Later Victorian brick: for example Vicarage Gate (1878–79) in yellow stock brick, and Hampstead's red and yellow brick houses with bays and porches.
Belgravia: part of the Grosvenor estate, where a management scheme controls external changes.

What the windows are usually like

Painted timber sashes. Most stucco Italianate terraces have sashes of two panes each, with horns.
Tall first-floor windows opening onto balconies.
Canted bays on later Victorian houses.

What we recommend

Timber sashes with slim double glazing suit these houses best and are what most councils expect in conservation areas.
In Kensington and Chelsea, a borough-wide order allows replacement windows of similar appearance, including double glazing, without planning permission, even in conservation areas and in flats. It doesn't apply to listed buildings, and it doesn't allow timber to be replaced with uPVC.
On Grosvenor estates in Belgravia and Mayfair, you will also need the estate's written consent for changes to the outside.
Outside conservation areas, REHAU uPVC sliding sash windows give the traditional proportions with low maintenance.

Mansion blocks and interwar flats

Mansion and tenement blocks spread from the late 19th century, and Central London has thousands of them, from Chelsea and Maida Vale to Marylebone.

Where you'll find them

Kensington: Carlyle Mansions (1897) and Campden Mansions (1905), and 1930s blocks such as Broadwalk Court (1934–35).
Maida Vale: early 20th-century brick blocks such as Ashworth Mansions on Elgin Avenue.
Marylebone: Dorset House on Gloucester Place, a listed 1930s art deco block of more than 200 flats.
Walworth: the Pullens Estate, late Victorian tenement blocks with workshops in the yards.

What the windows are usually like

Painted timber sashes in Edwardian blocks. At Ashworth Mansions, Westminster's planning officers recommended approval of double-glazed timber sashes to replace the originals.
Steel Crittall windows in 1930s blocks. At Dorset House, about 1,700 windows were recommended for approval for replacement with double-glazed steel.
A set pattern across the whole block, often written into the lease.

What we recommend

Flats need planning permission if the new windows look different (Kensington and Chelsea's order is an exception for replacement windows of similar appearance), plus the freeholder's consent.
Match the block. Councils and freeholders expect every flat to keep the same frame material, pattern and opening.
For 1930s blocks with steel windows, heritage steel-look windows or double-glazed steel replacements keep the slim sightlines.
For modern or upper-floor flats, REHAU tilt and turn windows clean easily from inside.

Cottage estates and model dwellings

Central London also has early social housing, from Victorian 'model' estates to garden-suburb cottages, and most of it is now protected.

Where you'll find them

Leigham Court Estate, Streatham: built in 1889–1928 by the Artizans' Company, mostly terraced houses in groups of up to eight.
Sunray Estate, Herne Hill: an early council cottage estate of about 240 houses, built in 1920–22.
Queen's Park Estate, W10: about 1,500 homes, a conservation area since 1978.

What the windows are usually like

Painted softwood sashes, often six or nine panes over one, at Leigham Court.
White-painted timber casements divided into 4, 6 or 8 panes on the Sunray Estate.
Small cottage-style windows and simple panelled doors.

What we recommend

These estates have Article 4 directions covering windows, and their guidance is strict. Lambeth says 'Aluminium, PVCu window frames... are not permitted' at Leigham Court, and Southwark says aluminium and uPVC are 'not suitable' on the Sunray Estate.
Timber that precisely matches the original is the route to approval. Secondary glazing is often preferred to double glazing.
We can make timber windows to the original pattern and handle the application.

Post-war estates, mews and modern homes

Central London has some of the most admired post-war housing in Britain, plus hundreds of converted mews houses and new apartment buildings.

Where you'll find them

Pimlico: Churchill Gardens, built in 1946–62 to designs by Powell and Moya, with six blocks now listed.
The City of London: the Barbican Estate, developed in the 1960s and 1970s with more than 2,000 homes and Grade II listed in 2001, alongside the neighbouring Golden Lane Estate.
Camden: the Alexandra Road Estate, now a conservation area.
Mews: for example Palace Gardens Mews (about 1846) in Kensington.

What the windows are usually like

Timber, steel or aluminium windows designed as part of the architecture.
Converted stable doors and small first-floor windows in mews houses.
Large modern glazing in new-build flats.

What we recommend

Listed estates such as the Barbican have specific management guidelines governing alterations, including windows. Any proposed window repairs or replacements must comply with the applicable estate requirements and may require landlord approval and/or listed building consent.
Mews houses suit slim aluminium windows or French doors on the ground floor, in a conservation-friendly colour.
Slimline aluminium for modern flats and penthouses: Origin OW-70.
Roof terraces and balconies: sliding doors save space.

Conservation areas, Article 4 and listed buildings in Central London

Before you choose windows, check three things with your council: whether your home is listed, whether it is in a conservation area, and whether an Article 4 direction applies. In Central London, also check your lease or estate management scheme.

Most houses, including houses in conservation areas without an Article 4 direction, can usually replace windows without planning permission, as long as the new ones are similar in appearance to the old (Planning Portal).
Flats and maisonettes don't have the same permitted development rights as houses. Identical, like-for-like windows usually don't need permission, but windows that look different may, and if you're a leaseholder you may also need consent from your landlord, freeholder or management company (Planning Portal).
Listed buildings need listed building consent for any significant works, inside or out, including windows (Planning Portal).
An Article 4 direction removes permitted development rights, so even a like-for-like replacement can need an application. Many London councils use them in conservation areas, and the ones that cover windows are listed below.
City of London: has 28 conservation areas (City of London). Many homes are flats in estates such as the Barbican, which is listed, so consent is often needed anyway.
Camden: has 40 conservation areas covering about half the borough. Article 4 directions adopted in June 2026 in Belsize, Fitzjohns Netherhall, South Hampstead, Redington and Frognal and Frognal Way in Hampstead, plus older ones in Hampstead, Primrose Hill and South Hill Park, mean that changing front windows to a different material or design needs permission, and in Belsize even matching double-glazed replacements on the front need an application (Camden Council, Camden Council).
Islington: has 42 conservation areas, and Article 4 directions in parts of them, such as Barnsbury, cover changing windows (Islington Council).
Kensington and Chelsea: Has 38 conservation areas covering nearly three-quarters of the borough, with numerous street- and property-specific Article 4 Directions that can restrict window alterations. Since October 2025, a borough-wide Windows Local Development Order has permitted qualifying replacement windows of similar appearance in non-listed residential properties without separate planning permission, subject to conditions. Listed buildings are excluded from this order and may require listed building consent, although separate consent orders cover certain works (Kensington and Chelsea Council).
Lambeth: has 62 conservation areas covering about 30% of the borough. Article 4 directions cover alterations in Albert Square, Hyde Farm, Lansdowne Gardens, Leigham Court, Park Hall Road, St Marks, Stockwell Park, Streatham Lodge and Vauxhall, and replacements must be 'of the same material as the original windows' (Lambeth Council, Lambeth Council).
Southwark: has 53 conservation areas. The council says you need planning permission to change windows in a conservation area, and the Sunray Estate has an Article 4 direction covering windows (Southwark Council, Southwark Council).
Westminster: has 56 conservation areas, with street-level Article 4 directions in places such as Abbey Gardens and the Queen's Park Estate. Its planners have recommended refusing uPVC windows, saying 'the use of plastic does not follow the principles of sustainable design', but supports double-glazing historic buildings (Westminster Council, Westminster Council).

Work done without the right consent can lead to enforcement and the windows being replaced at your cost. We check these rules for every survey, and can help with the application if one is needed.

Central London boroughs at a glance

Borough	Typical housing	Conservation areas	Windows that often suit
City of London	Barbican and Golden Lane flats, some historic houses	28	Follow estate guidelines
Camden	Georgian Bloomsbury, Hampstead, Victorian terraces, Alexandra Road	40	Timber sash, check Article 4
Islington	Georgian Barnsbury and Canonbury, Victorian terraces	42	Timber sash
Kensington and Chelsea	Stucco terraces, Georgian houses, mansion flats, mews	38	Slimline double-glazed timber sash
Lambeth	Georgian Kennington and Waterloo, Victorian Streatham, Leigham Court	62	Sash, same material as original
Southwark	Georgian Camberwell, Pullens tenements, Sunray Estate, Dulwich Village	53	Timber sash or casement
Westminster	Georgian Mayfair, stucco Pimlico and Belgravia, mansion flats, Churchill Gardens	56	Timber sash, steel for 1930s blocks

Frequently asked questions

Can I fit uPVC windows in a Central London conservation area?

Rarely on the front of a period building. Camden expects timber where timber is traditional, Lambeth requires the same material as the original, and Westminster planners have recommended refusing uPVC on sustainability grounds. At the back of an unlisted house, or outside conservation areas, uPVC is more often accepted.

Can I fit double glazing in Kensington and Chelsea without planning permission?

Usually, yes. The council's Windows Local Development Order allows double-glazed replacement windows of similar appearance without planning permission, even in conservation areas and in flats. It doesn't cover listed buildings, and you can't swap timber for uPVC.

What windows suit a mansion flat?

Whatever matches the rest of the block, usually painted timber sashes or, in 1930s blocks, steel windows. You will need the freeholder's consent, and planning permission if the windows will look different.

Do I need my estate's permission to change windows?

On Grosvenor's Belgravia and Mayfair estates, yes: their management schemes need written consent for changes to the outside. Other large estates and most leases have similar rules, so check before you order.

Do you cover my part of Central London?

Yes. We work across Westminster, Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark and the City, including Marylebone, Pimlico, Hampstead, Islington, Chelsea, Kennington and Camberwell.

More window guides

We have guides like this for Surrey, Kent, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Sussex, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, and for North, South, East and West London.

Get a free survey

Tell us about your home and we'll recommend the windows that suit it, check whether it is listed, in a conservation area or covered by an Article 4 direction, and give you a fixed quote. Call 020 4581 8351, email sales@aliluxe.co.uk or request a quote online. You can also browse our uPVC windows and doors and aluminium windows.

Please note: This guide is for general information only and is not planning, legal or professional advice. Planning rules, Article 4 directions and council guidance change over time, and how they apply depends on your property, so always check with your local planning authority before you start work (and with your landlord, freeholder or management company if you're a leaseholder). Replacement windows and doors must also meet Building Regulations. Historical and local details come from council, Historic England and other published sources and were believed to be correct when this guide was written in October 2026. Aliluxe cannot accept responsibility for decisions made solely on the basis of this guide, and we'll confirm the rules that apply to your home at survey.