Planning Information: Outside Space
Fences, Walls and Gates
You will need to apply for planning permission if you wish to erect or indeed add to a fence, gate or wall and:-
- If it is over 1metre in height and next to a highway used by vehicles or the footpath of such a highway; or over 2 metres elsewhere
- Or an article 4 direction or a planning condition applies to your property*; or
- Your house is a listed building or in the curtilage of a listed building;
- The fence, wall or gate or any other building forms a boundary with a neighbouring listed building or its curtilage.
You do not need planning permission for a hedge as long as a condition has not been imposed or there is for example a covenant which restricts planting. If this is the case, it is likelt that you will require planning permission.
* Your solcitor who acted on your behalf in the purchase of this property will be aware of this. If in the unlikely event that your solicitor does not know this, it is advisable to contact your Local Council directly.
What this means is:-
Naively, most of us do not appreciate that erecting or indeed adding to a fence, gate or wall may well require the benefit of planning permission. The rules governing fences, gates or wall are fairly straightforward and so long as you follow the above, you should not be the subject of any kind of interest from your local authority and its planning enforcement team.
If you are wishing to "enclose" your front garden for example, please make sure that there is no covenant restricting your ability to do this. Even the planting a hedge or trees for example may in some cases not be considered appropriate. The local authority will quite often take a dim view of this kind of action if it is felt that the established open character of an estate has been compromised. If in doubt always ask first!
