Most front porches in London can be built without a planning application, as long as they stay within the permitted development limits for houses in England. The rules are short, but each one matters.
The three permitted development limits
A porch on any external door of a house is usually permitted development if the ground floor area, measured externally, is no more than 3 square metres; no part is higher than 3 metres above ground level; and no part is within 2 metres of a boundary that faces a highway, such as the pavement.
If your design goes beyond any one of these, you will need full planning permission. Our planning permission guide covers the process in more detail.
When the rules do not apply
Permitted development applies to houses, not flats or maisonettes. It can also be removed by an Article 4 direction, which some councils use on streets with a strong period character. Conservation areas do not remove porch rights on their own, but many of them carry Article 4 directions.
Boroughs such as Ealing, Chiswick and Richmond have many conservation areas, so it is worth checking before you design anything.
Building regulations
Separately from planning, a porch is normally exempt from building regulations if it is at ground level, under 30 square metres, keeps the existing front door between the porch and the house, and uses safety glazing. Any new electrics still need to meet Part P.
A simple way to check
We check your address against council records at the free site visit and tell you whether your porch needs an application. Book a free estimate or call us to talk it through.
Local porch guides