When is a carport not a carport?

Section62

Jeepers_Creepers said:

It does sound as tho' it's all pretty casual around there, and there aren't folk twitching their curtains with a phone in their other hand.

The main issue for the OP will be when they, or their executors, come to sell and the buyer's solicitor asks why permission for the garage was not obtained. An indemnity policy might do the trick, or maybe not.

Or the lessor might discover there's cash to be had for all those lease breaches and decides the time has come to get greedy make a stand.

Risks the OP has to weigh up and think about.

It is also possible there will be planning and/or building control consents required for the work as the building is "flush against next door".  Adding a solid rear wall is not just repair/replacement of the existing structure, it is a material change.

One aspect the OP does need to consider carefully is that the open nature of a car port means it has relatively limited wind resistance - the wind just blows straight through. Adding a solid wall will change the nature of the airflow around the structure, meaning the existing roof design could need to be modified to prevent structural failure (collapse) in any critical wind conditions. The job isn't as simple as just adding a wall.

Jeepers_Creepers

Fair do's. In these worst cases of scenarios, all he'd have to do is remove the timber back wall. Everything else is just a variation of what was always there during his tenure.

Section62

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Fair do's. In these worst cases of scenarios, all he'd have to do is remove the timber back wall. Everything else is just a variation of what was always there during his tenure.

Worst case in the wind scenario is looking out of the window and seeing your carport roof in a neighbour's garden, or out in the street.  But hopefully without someone's car - or someone - underneath it.

It's a good point on the other issues though - there's a lot of difference between retrospectively removing a timber back wall than a brick or block one.  The OP didn't specify which he had in mind, so that should be something he thinks about.

Jeepers_Creepers

Oops, I'd assumed it was timber...

Burnsie1983

Thanks for replies all 

The front door is one where it's like 3 doors where you can open just one or slide then all to the side (not that it works).

It's old and wooden 

Jeepers_Creepers

If you replace that with what is clearly a 'garage' door - eg metal, up-and-over type thing - then most folk would consider what's behind it a 'garage', especially if it's enclosed. Whether they'd still react is another matter.

If the street has a number of garages in a certain style, and you fit in with this, I doubt many folk would go "Hmm, I'm sure that should only be a port and not a garage..." I mean, how many folk would even know it's only 'meant' to be a CP?

On the other hand, if you replace it with a pair of hinged timber doors, only a serious pedant would raise their eyebrows.

I think you just need to make this call yourself - seek permission and risk the FH saying 'Non', or update/grade various parts as you see fit and keep fingers crossed.

Chickereeeee

I would think the front door makes it a garage. Often, it's the visual aspect from the front that is a major concern in planning issues.

prowla

I've never given it that much thought before, but I guess I've always thought of a car port as an open structure (ie. which doesn't have a front door).

It could be in front of a back wall, though...

Jeepers_Creepers

Is there a legal definition of a 'carport'?! I don't know. But a Google suggests the only thing the wide variety have in common is no front vehicle entrance door.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=carport&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj16_bfyaPyAhUSoFwKHVetDEYQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1920&bih=899

Almost all 'carports' will have at least one 'wall'/side, as they are usually built up alongside the property. Many have 2 sides. It seems perfectly possible to add a third - the back - with it still remaining a 'carport'.

Add a front entrance door, and it becomes a 'garage'!

Burnsie's already has front doors - he owns a GARAGE!

Possibly. And albeit one with missing sides...

Jeepers_Creepers

Burnsie, what type of front door are you hoping to fit? And what type of front garage doors are typical on that road?