definition of REAR porch ?

[gulfstream2000]

Hi,

I have found lots of info about Porch's on the front of the house, ie <3 sqm floor area and >2m from highway boundary etc ...but almost nothing on the definition of a 'REAR' porch.

Does anyone know ?

I would like to build a rear porch on the back of my end terrace house, but because of the position of the back door ( ie next to the neighbours house ) it would be 1m away from the neighbours bondary. I just wonder if this would be an issue, since its potentially in their peripheral eye line from their house.

Any comments most welcome, thanks.

 

[jeds]

There is no definition of a porch on the rear of a house for planning purposes because anything on the rear would be classed as an extension and would come under permitted development rules. That would be 3m out from the original house for a semi or terrace and 4m out for a detached house. If it's single storey you can build full width up to the boundary.

 

[gulfstream2000]

There is no definition of a porch on the rear of a house for planning purposes because anything on the rear would be classed as an extension and would come under permitted development rules. That would be 3m out from the original house for a semi or terrace and 4m out for a detached house. If it's single storey you can build full width up to the boundary.

thanks jeds for the reply, that must be why i have seen no reference to rear porch's. I shall now investigate the planning requirements for a conservatory/extension ( porch size ! ) thanks Nick.

 

[^woody^]

A porch is a porch whether on the front, side or rear of a house.

You don't see many references to rear porches purely because we don't tend to have them, so they tend to be referred to as front porches only. But the PD rules for porches still apply

 

[garyo]

A porch under PD still has to have the external door in place, and it'd be exempt from building regs, so on the back of your house it'd follow the same rules as a conservatory rather than an extension...

gulfstream: read the planning portal guidance - it never once mentions 'front' and explicitly states that it applies to any external door on the house:

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/porch/

'The planning rules for porches are applicable to any external door to the dwellinghouse.'

 

[jeds]

A class D porch can be built against any external door to a house - front or rear - but the purpose of class D really is to allow you to build on the front (principal) elevation of a house when you wouldn't normally be allowed to. On the rear the definition is irrelevant because it is superceded by the fact that you can build any extension 3m or 4m whether against a door or not.

Don't confuse building regs with planning. A porch for building regs purposes is any extension less than 30m² that does not knock through to the original house and does not connect to the main heating system. i.e,. a very large porch. A consevatory is really just a large porch.

 

[gulfstream2000]

thanks for replies guys,

piecing all the facts together, it now makes a bit more sense to me that the front porch is a special case extension not normally allowed on the front of a building and in fact at the rear , a porch would actually tend to be a small conservatory ( as in regs )

 

[jassdhali]

gulf,

I have been pondering the same and found the following from my council.
A conservatory needs no building or planning consent from council (under 30m²)
However a rear porch (under 30m²) accessible from an extrnal door of the house will require planning BUT not building regs.

 

[^woody^]

Planning Regulations and precedent does not define what a porch is, but it does give special consideration for a "porch" up to certain size limits

Any addition to a house is an extension, and the extension is further classified to denote its use ... a kitchen extension, an extension to form a conservatory ... a porch extension

The normal [dictionary] definition of a porch would apply ie a covered entrance to a building. A porch can be enclosed, or open, but there is a difference in planning terms between an open porch and a canopy.

But the essential requirements of this porch would be ... a covered area, not used as a room, merely as an entrance. The entrance can be anywhere on the building - normally at the front, but that is not a prerequisite

So any extension around an entrance merely offering shelter to those entering the building, would fit the definition of a porch. Now if this extension is kept to the size criteria then it will not require specific permission. If it goes over, then it will need permission but it still remains a porch