Open hallway into new porch area

Lostintext

Hi all,

Totally lost trying to figure out where I stand re a porch we would like built and planning permission and building regs.
Our front door is set back 2.1m from the front of the property, the front of the property being our garage door. The area that runs along side the garage (in front of our front door) has a roof over it and small couple of feet high wall on the other side. It’s 1.1m wide.

What I want to do is brick up and have windows on the small wall that currently exists, and I would like to move our current front door to the new front, being in line with the garage door. Effectively we want an open plan hallway to increase that space.

Anyone any idea if this is permitted development or not please? And if building regs are required as I want to move the front door?

Any help is much appreciated!

kevj9201

If i remember rightly from when i was looking at adding a porch, permitted development allows upto 3sq metres as long as it isn't within 2 metres of the boundary fronting the highway, no building regs required. However under this you have to keep the original front door, so yours may still be under permitted development but require building regs if you are removing the original door.

I'm sure someone will be along soon to tell you for definite.

FreeBear

kevj9201 wrote: »

... no building regs required.

Won't comment on the PD side, but... This area will have to meet building regs. The wall will need to be adequately insulated as will the floor & roof. The original floor & walls will probably have to be removed to allow suitable foundations to be put in - Would strongly suggest contacting the local planning dept & building control to see what they have to say.

If other properties in the neighbourhood have had similar alterations done, there shouldn't be any problems with consent if it is required.

Ectophile

Removing the original front door makes a difference. With the original door there, the front porch is just a porch. Take away the door, and the porch is now part of the house, and will need to meet building regulations.

Lostintext

Thanks so much guys, very helpful.

So I agree that building regs are a must with the front door coming off to be relocated. That was my initial thought and seems you agree too.

As for the planning permission, well I emailed my council and they sent me lots of links to information but I don’t feel any further educated! It seems I can’t just ask the question if it needs an application or not. So what would be the next steps? Hire a planning officer to get their opinion?

Thanks again for all your replies, very much appreciated.

Lostintext

Just to add as well, as a porch I think it fits under permitted development but as mentioned when the front door is moved it’s no longer a porch but actually an extension so that’s where I’m getting a little lost.

I’m thinking further down the line if I come to sell I’d like it in black and white from the planning department that permission isn’t required.