Do I need planning permission for a front door canopy?
Obtaining planning permission for anything can be a very long and tedious process that many people don’t want to deal with. It can often be the difference between making the installation/addition to your home or not bothering at all.
Due to all of this, I’m sure you will be glad to hear that there is a surprisingly large number of installations that rarely need planning permission and front door canopies are one of them.
This is because they are classed as architectural features that are within a homeowner’s permitted development rights.
Size Rules & Regulations
The general rule for sizing is that the ground area must not exceed 3 square metres in size (external measurements) and must not be taller than 3 metres off the ground. Your canopy must also not be within 2 metres of a boundary that borders a highway, such as a road, footpath, or bridleway.
Location
To ensure you don’t need planning permission, your canopy must not extend beyond your property’s boundary so that it doesn’t obstruct public or other private property.
There will be additional rules if you live in an area of outstanding beauty, national park or conservation area and extra research will be needed to ensure you are safe to install your canopy.
Appearance & Materials
The appearance and materials used for the canopy should be in keeping with your house and area around it. This basically means that it can’t be something outrageous and should fit the look of your house which most types of canopies will.
Listed Buildings
If your home is a listed building, there are always extra hoops you have to jump through to make any changes to your house. You can check if your house is listed or not by searching on the National Heritage List for England.
For a front door canopy, you will need ‘listed building consent’ which you can apply for from your local county council. Waiting for your application to be approved can take several weeks or even months and I’m afraid to say there isn’t much you can do during this time except being patient.
When Might You Need Planning Permission For Your Front Door Canopy?
In summary, you might need planning permission for your canopy if it is larger than 3 square metres in size and 3 square metres tall, if your house is listed or located in a conservation area, national park or area of outstanding beauty or if the design of the canopy is out of character with the house or surrounding area.
It’s important to note that even if you don’t need planning permission for your canopy, building regulations might still apply particularly if the canopy affects the structural integrity of your house or if it affects your drainage and water runoff.
