Area character studies

Area character studies are produced by local planning authorities.

They offer guidance and information for house owners and developers involved in property development or renovation projects.

They provide:

• details about the character of a neighbourhood, which can inform decisions about the design, scale and style of a proposed development
• context that informs planning policies and development frameworks, which developers must follow
• the priorities, preferences and concerns of the local community that developers can use to carry out meaningful engagement through the development process
• insight into market demand and trends to help a developer to tailor a project to meet the needs of potential buyers or tenants

Camberwell area character study

Read the Camberwell area character study (PDF, 25.8MB)

You can also view an interactive map of the Camberwell character areas.

Peckham area character study

We have created a draft, updated area character study for Peckham (PDF, 11.5MB). A public consultation into the draft closed on 15 March 2024.

We will review everyone’s responses and update the study to reflect them. We will create detailed summaries for each character area. These will inform the strategic priorities for the area. They will act as guidance on future policy and development management.

If you have any questions about the documents on this page or have problems accessing any of the information, please email designconservation@southwark.gov.uk.