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.

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In many cases, you can build a porch without planning permission under permitted development rights, provided certain criteria are met. To qualify as permitted development, your proposed porch must:

• Not exceed three square metres in external ground area

• Be no taller than three metres in height

• Be located at least two metres away from any boundary with a highway

Read more about porches on Planning Portal

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If you plan to put up a small, detached building like a garden shed, garden room, garden office, annexe or summerhouse (all classed as outbuildings), building regulations generally won’t apply if the building has a floor area under 15 square metres and does not include any sleeping accommodation.

For buildings with a floor area between 15 and 30 square metres, building regulations approval is usually not needed - as long as the building does not include sleeping accommodation and either:

• it is at least one metre away from any boundary, or
• it is built mainly from non-combustible materials.

Read more about the building regulations that apply to outbuildings.

Don't forget to check the permitted development rights for outbuildings.

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In most cases neither planning permission nor building control approval are required for replacing grass with artificial grass. If you live in a protected areas such as a conservation area, or listed building, it is best practice to contact your local planning authority to check whether any consents are required.

 Find your local planning authority.

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A single storey rear extension can fall under permitted development, meaning planning permission may not be required providing it meets certain criteria.  

In terms of height, the extension must:

• Be no taller than four metres at its highest point

• Have eaves no higher than the eaves of the original house

• Not exceed the height of the original dwelling  

Read about planning permission for extensions on Planning Portal

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