In England you can put up a garden fence up to 2 metres high without planning permission, measured from ground level, and up to 1 metre high where it runs next to a road. Those two figures cover most gardens, but a handful of exceptions catch people out, and how the height is measured is where most questions come from.
This guide goes through the rules as the Planning Portal sets them out, then answers the questions we get asked on site across Warwickshire: does the trellis count, does the gravel board count, and what if the ground next door is higher than mine.
What are the rules for fence height without planning permission?
Fences, gates and garden walls are “permitted development” in England, meaning you do not need to apply, as long as all of the following are true:
- Next to a highway used by vehicles, or the footpath of one, the fence, wall or gate is no more than 1 metre high from ground level.
- Anywhere else, it is no more than 2 metres high from ground level.
- If an existing fence, wall or gate is already taller than those limits, you are not making it any taller.
- No part of the site is a listed building or within the grounds of one, and the fence does not form a boundary with a neighbouring listed building or its grounds.
- The right to put up or alter fences has not been removed by an article 4 direction or by a planning condition on your house.
The legal source is Schedule 2, Part 2, Class A of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. The Planning Portal page on fences, gates and garden walls is the plain-English version.
Does 2 metres include the trellis on top?
Yes. The limit is the total height of the means of enclosure from the ground, so a 1.8 metre panel with a 30 centimetre trellis on top is a 2.1 metre fence and is over the limit. If you want trellis, use a shorter panel underneath it so the whole thing stays at or under 2 metres.
The same applies to a fence built on top of a wall. A half-metre brick wall with a 1.8 metre panel on it is a 2.3 metre boundary in planning terms.
Does the gravel board count?
Yes. A gravel board is part of the fence. A 150 millimetre concrete gravel board under a 1.8 metre panel gives you a fence just under 2 metres, which is why that combination is so common. Put a 300 millimetre gravel board under a 1.8 metre panel and you are over. Posts count too: a post standing proud of the panel is measured to the top of the post.
What counts as ground level if the ground is not level?
The Order says “above ground level” and does not say which side of the fence, or what happens on a slope.
In practice, councils usually measure from the natural ground level at the base of the fence, not from a raised patio, decking or a soil bank built up against it. Where the ground is different heights on each side of the boundary, some councils measure from the higher side and some from the side the fence is built on. If your garden is a step up or down from next door and you want to go close to 2 metres, ask your council’s planning department in writing before you buy the panels. It settles the question.
What counts as next to a highway?
A road used by vehicles, or the pavement alongside one. A front garden fence facing the street is nearly always caught by the 1 metre limit, and so is a side boundary that runs along a road. A footpath with no vehicle access is not a highway for this purpose.
Do listed buildings and conservation areas change things?
Listed buildings, yes. If your house is listed, or your fence would form a boundary with a listed neighbour, permitted development for fences does not apply and you need to apply for permission before putting anything up, whatever the height.
Conservation areas are different. Being in one does not on its own remove your right to put up a fence up to the normal limits. What it changes is taking one down: in a conservation area you may need permission to demolish a wall, fence or gate, particularly a wall over 1 metre next to a road or over 2 metres elsewhere. Warwickshire has a lot of conservation areas, so if you are replacing a boundary in an old village centre, call the council first.
What is an article 4 direction?
It is a council order that removes specific permitted development rights in a defined area, often to protect the look of a street. Where one covers fences, walls and gates, you need to apply for permission even for a low fence. Your council’s website will say whether your street is covered.
What if I want a fence taller than 2 metres?
Apply for householder planning permission through the Planning Portal, which shows the current fee. Councils do grant taller fences, for example where a garden backs onto a busy road, but they will weigh the effect on neighbours’ light and outlook.
If you are unsure whether your plan is permitted, a lawful development certificate is a cheaper route: the council confirms in writing that no permission is needed, which helps when you sell.
Is planning permission the same as my neighbour agreeing?
No. Planning permission is about the council. Who owns the fence that is already there, and whether you can build on the line, is a matter for the deeds and your neighbour. A fence can be legal in planning terms and still be on the wrong side of the line.
What we do
We come and look before we quote, and the visit and written quote are free with no obligation. If what you want would take the boundary over the limit we will say so and suggest a combination that stays under it. Where a fence needs the council’s say-so we will tell you, but applying is something you do as the homeowner.
We work across Warwickshire and the counties either side from Nuneaton. If you are further out, ask anyway. Book a visit at mendwell.co.uk/book or call 07472 281 663. More plain guides are at mendwell.co.uk/guides.