Can I add a porch to my listed house?

[Mammyofonlyone]

Just that really.

I think I'd have to apply for some kind of permission but wondered if anyone had any first hand experience or knowledge and could give me some advice?

Thanks

Probably not, unless you could somehow prove there used to be one and that reinstating it would be in keeping with the property - the house is frozen in time at the moment of listing (ie, if a Victorian cottage is listed in 2000 with modern plastic gutters then you'd have to stick to the plastic gutters unless you could persuade the council that replacing them with appropriate metal ones would benefit the property.)

Don't do it without permission. You can be made to take it down, and/or fined, and if you come to sell the house, it's the kind of thing that makes solicitors go swivel-eyed with panic, because your buyers would be responsible for any legal action afterwards. I phoned up the local conservation officer and asked him to talk me through what would and wouldn't be permissible on a house we renovated - although this was before all the local budget cuts, so I don't know how available someone would be for a chat now. If you speak to a reputable local builder who's worked on Listed buildings, they might be able to guide you?

Thanks Fred, I'll see if I can find a planning officer

Our council won't talk to anyone, you have to put in for listed building consent (free under our council, not under many others I believe, but perhaps they will have chats so it evens up) to get an answer.

I'd have thought a porch unlikely, unless as said it could be demonstrated to be in keeping with the building. Is it just the one listed house or is it in an area of listed buildings? Our whole street is listed so doing anything to the frontage is difficult but the council are pretty flexible about rear extensions etc.

All applications for Listed Building Consent are free. Just because a property is Listed doesn't mean that nothing can be done to it. You need to speak to the Conservation Officer at the Council. You may need planning permission as well for which a fee would be required.

Mammy I wonder whether it might be of benefit to you to join the Listed Property Owners Club? I don’t have a listed property but I saw this advertised in the English Home magazine and looked it up out of curiosity. It’s £4 a month and then you have access to free (well it’s not free, it’s £4 haha) advice as well as other benefits. They might be able to help you.

Oh it’s www.lpoc.co.uk for the website.

It may well depend on why it’s listed. If it’s because it’s a fine example of a type of house that never had a porch, I think you will be unlucky. Many heritage building officers will preserve the reason and features that listed it in the first place. Sometimes they might allow a glass box!

Thank you everyone, especially Minnie