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Do I need planning permission to add a small wooden canopy over my front door?
Adding a porch canopy is classed as permitted development provided it meets the limits and conditions set out in legislation. Where this is the case, no application for planning permission is required.
Porches must meet the following limits:
- the ground floor area (measured externally) would not exceed three square metres.
- no part would be more than three metres aboveground level (height needs to be measured in the same way as for a house extension).
- no part of the porch would be within two metres of any boundary of the dwellinghouse and the highway.
Read our mini guide for additional information on installing a porch.
Common Questions
Planning permission is unlikely to be required for the installation of external damp proofing unless the work will change the external appearance of the building or is part of a larger project.
If you live in a listed building you will need listed building consent for any significant changes, this can include external damp proofing. Additional rules may also apply if you live in a Conservation Area or other protected area.
Building regulations approval is not required for installing an external damp proof course (DPC).
Certain types of development are granted planning permission by national legislation without the need to submit a planning application. This is known as 'permitted development'. In order to be eligible for these permitted development rights, each 'class' specified in the legislation has associated limitations and conditions that proposals must comply with.
One such condition on certain classes of permitted development is the need to submit an application to the local planning authority for its 'prior approval; or to determine if it’s 'prior approval' will be required.
This allows the local planning authority to consider the proposals, their likely impacts in regard to certain specific factors (e.g. transport and highways) and how these may be mitigated.
For more information on prior approval, read guidance on prior approval consent types.
In many cases, you can extend a house without applying for planning permission by using what's known as permitted development rights, provided certain limits and conditions are met. However, if your plans go beyond these restrictions, you will likely need to apply for householder planning permission.
Rules governing outbuildings apply to sheds, playhouses, greenhouses and garages as well as other ancillary garden buildings such as swimming pools, ponds, sauna cabins, kennels, enclosures (including tennis courts) and many other kinds of structures for a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse.
If you are unsure if your planned building falls into the category of 'outbuildings' or if you are unsure if planning permission is required, please contact your local planning authority.
Outbuildings are considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject certain limits and conditions.
Read about the limits and conditions for outbuildings
A carport can fall under permitted development rights provided it meets certain limits and conditions set out in legislation. If you exceed or fail to meet a requirement then you will require planning permission.
If not attached to the house, a car port will be treated as an ‘outbuilding’. A full list of requirements is available on our outbuildings common project.
