Do I Need Planning Permission for a Fence?

Applies to England and Wales.

The limits

A gate, fence, wall or other means of enclosure is permitted development if it does not exceed:

• 1 metre above ground level where it is next to a highway used by vehicular traffic, or the footpath of one
• 2 metres above ground level anywhere else

Schools have a specific allowance, and can go to 2 metres next to a highway provided anything above 1 metre does not obstruct the view of highway users dangerously.

The trellis trap

The height limit is inclusive of everything on top. Trellis, lattice, finials, all of it counts, and measurement is from the highest point.

This is the most common way a perfectly ordinary fence ends up needing permission that nobody applied for.

Corner plots and "adjacent"

On a corner plot, the side boundary running along the road is subject to the 1-metre limit, not the 2-metre one. People routinely discover this after building.

"Adjacent to a highway" is not precisely defined in the legislation, and local authorities interpret it differently, some treat a metre or two as the threshold, others more. Where a boundary is anywhere near a road, ask the council rather than assuming.

Replacing an existing fence

If a fence already exceeds the limits, you can maintain, improve or replace it, provided the height is not increased. A 2.5-metre fence can be replaced with another 2.5-metre fence.

This does not apply in a conservation area or in the grounds of a listed building.

Before you build

Establish whose boundary it is. This causes more trouble than the planning rules do. Check the title deeds. If ownership is unclear, speak to the neighbour before starting, not after, a fence on a disputed line may have to come down.