Garden fences are among the most common features of residential properties and the planning rules around their height are straightforward for most situations but have important exceptions that catch many homeowners out.

The Basic Height Rules

Under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order, the erection or alteration of a gate, fence, wall, or other means of enclosure is permitted development provided it does not exceed one metre in height adjacent to a highway used by vehicles, including a public road or any road used by vehicles, or two metres in height in any other location.

This means a fence in your rear garden that does not adjoin a vehicular highway can be up to two metres high without planning permission. A fence along the front boundary of your property adjacent to a road or pavement used by vehicles must not exceed one metre without planning permission.

What Counts as Adjacent to a Highway

The one-metre limit applies to fences adjacent to a highway used by vehicles. This includes the road carriageway and any access road. It does not necessarily include a footpath only used by pedestrians, though the line between the two can be unclear in some situations. A fence alongside a shared driveway or access track may be treated as adjacent to a vehicular route depending on the specific circumstances. If in doubt, checking with the local planning authority is the cautious approach.

Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings

In conservation areas, planning permission is required to erect, alter, or remove gates, fences, walls, or means of enclosure within the curtilage of a dwelling if they front a highway or public open space and were in place before 1948 or have been in place since then. This means that replacing an existing front garden wall or gate in a conservation area may require planning permission even if it is within the standard height limits.

For listed buildings, any works to gates, fences, or walls within the curtilage may require listed building consent as well as planning permission if they affect the character of the listed building.

Permitted Development Removal

Some local authorities have removed permitted development rights for fencing in specific areas through Article 4 Directions. If your property is in an area covered by such a direction, even standard-height fences may require planning permission. Checking with your local planning authority confirms whether any such directions apply in your area.

Summary

A fence up to two metres is permitted development in most rear garden locations in England. A fence adjacent to a vehicular highway must not exceed one metre without planning permission. Conservation areas may require planning permission for changes to front boundary enclosures. Listed buildings require listed building consent for any works to curtilage structures. Article 4 Directions in some areas remove permitted development rights for fencing entirely.