In most of the cases, this can be done by your local builder without planning permission. If the porches and/or canopy area, is no more than 3 square metres in area and no more than 3 metres high above ground level, it will not need Planning Permission. Plus, if you keep an external quality door between porch area and the house, you will not need Building Regulations approval.
You can have more space for shoes and coats or you can have extra security or perhaps additional W/C to ground floor, Porches can easily change a normal looking house into one that stands out.
