If you want to add a porch to a front door, back door or side door on your house, you should first check if you need to apply for planning permission.
Permitted development
Most porches don’t need a planning permission application, because most meet a set of rules called ‘permitted development’.
If your porch meets these rules, you automatically have planning permission and don’t have to apply for it.
You won’t need planning permission to add a porch to your house as long as:
- its footprint (the total floor area it takes up) is no greater than 3 square metres
- there are at least 2 metres between the edge of the porch and any boundary facing a road
- it isn’t taller than 3 metres
- it isn’t within a conservation area
You should always check with your council’s planning department to see whether you need to apply for planning permission. Even if you meet the permitted development rules, there may be other approvals you’ll need to get.
For a more detailed explanation of what’s considered a permitted development when adding a porch to your house, read the Scottish Government’s Guidance on Householder Permitted Development rights publication and go to section 4.37.
Planning permission
If the porch you want to build doesn’t meet the conditions for permitted development, you have to apply for planning permission.
Find out how to apply for planning permission, or contact your Local Planning Authority for further information.
Other approvals
You could need other approvals before you can carry out work. For example, you could need approval under the building regulations from the local council.
If you don’t own the land on which the development is being carried out (for example, if you’re a tenant or the land’s in joint ownership), you may need to get the landowner’s permission.
If you live in a listed building you will probably also need to obtain listed building consent.
It’s your responsibility to make sure you get any necessary approval.
