Guides · 4 min
Front extensions
Work on the front is the job neighbours and councils notice first.
Why the front is harder
The national rules are generous at the back and tight at the front. An extension in front of the main wall that faces the road is usually not permitted development, apart from a small porch.
Councils protect the building line: the line the row of houses already makes. Stepping forward of that line is a common reason for a no, even when rear extensions on the same street are fine.
Porches and bay windows
A porch inside the small national limits is the exception. A new bay, or a room pushed towards the pavement, is an application, and on some streets it is a likely no.
Check with your council. Rules change, and every house is different.
Questions
Can I extend at the front under permitted development?
Generally no, except for a small porch that meets the size and highway rules.
My neighbour has a front extension. Can I copy it?
Maybe. One old extension does not set a rule. Look at recent decisions on that street, not a single 1980s bay.
Check with your council. Rules change, and every house is different.