Add a porch to your house

You may want to add a porch to a front door, back door or side door on your house. Before you do this, check if you need to apply for planning permission.

This guidance only applies if your home is a dwellinghouse. This means it's a house you live in and is not used for business purposes.

Permitted development

Most porches do not need a planning permission application. This is because most meet a set of rules called 'permitted development'.

You will not need to apply for planning permission to add a porch to your house if:

its footprint (the total floor area it takes up) is no greater than 3 square metres
there's at least 2 metres between the edge of the porch and any boundary facing a road
it is not higher than 3 metres
it is not within a conservation area

Read the Householder permitted development rights guidance on gov.scot. It explains instances where other restrictions on permitted development apply.

Planning permission

If the porch you want to add is not permitted development, you must apply for planning permission.

Find out how to apply for planning permission. You can also contact your local council for further information.

Planning permission

Always check with your council to confirm if you need planning permission. Even if you meet the permitted development rules, there might be other approvals you'll need to get.

Other approvals

You may need other approvals before starting work. For example, your local council might ask for building regulation approval.

If you do not own the land, you must get the landowner’s permission (for example, if you’re a tenant or share ownership).

If your home is a listed building, you’ll also need listed building consent.

It’s your responsibility to make sure you have all the approvals you need.

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Information

Permitted development

Planning permission

Other approvals