Do I Need Planning Permission for a Boundary Fence?
IT DEPENDS
Fences up to 1 metre adjacent to a highway and up to 2 metres elsewhere are usually permitted development. Fences over 1 metre in the front garden adjacent to a road need planning permission. Conservation areas and listed building curtilages have additional restrictions.
Keep reading for the full rules.
Erecting or replacing a boundary fence is one of the most common home improvements. The planning rules are clear: the height of the fence and its proximity to the highway determine whether planning permission is needed. Most garden fences are permitted development, but front garden fences over 1 metre adjacent to a road require a planning application.
Permitted Development Rules by Region
Permitted Development Rules — England
- ✓A fence on any boundary of a dwellinghouse is permitted development if it does not exceed 1 metre in height where it is adjacent to a highway used by vehicular traffic.
- ✓A fence elsewhere on the boundary (not adjacent to a vehicular highway) is permitted development if it does not exceed 2 metres in height.
- ✓In a conservation area, fences and walls on the front boundary that face a highway may require planning permission if over 1 metre — PD rights for means of enclosure are restricted in conservation areas.
- ✓Listed buildings: a fence within the curtilage of a listed building may require listed building consent as well as planning permission if it would affect the setting of the listed building.
- ✓Article 4 Directions can remove PD rights for fences in specific areas — always check with your LPA.
Size & Position Limits (England)
| Requirement | Limit / Rule |
|---|---|
| Max height adjacent to vehicular highway | 1m — above this requires planning permission |
| Max height elsewhere | 2m — above this requires planning permission |
| Conservation areas — front boundary | Fences over 1m may need permission |
| Listed building curtilage | May need listed building consent |
| Shared boundary | Ownership and boundary disputes are civil matters — separate from planning |
When Do You Need Planning Permission?
Even if your project is usually permitted development, planning permission is required in these circumstances:
- ✗The fence would exceed 1 metre in height adjacent to a highway used by vehicular traffic.
- ✗The fence would exceed 2 metres anywhere else on the boundary.
- ✗Your property is in a conservation area and the fence is on the front boundary visible from a highway.
- ✗Your property is a listed building or within the curtilage of a listed building.
- ✗Your council has an Article 4 Direction removing PD rights for fences in your area.
What Happens If You Build Without Permission?
A fence that exceeds the PD limits or is in a conservation area without permission can attract an enforcement notice. The council can require the fence to be reduced in height or removed. The 4-year time limit for enforcement applies to dwellinghouse works. Boundary disputes between neighbours are a civil matter and are dealt with separately from planning enforcement.
Enforcement notices: Your council can issue an enforcement notice requiring you to stop the work, remove it, or restore the land to its original condition. You have a right of appeal against an enforcement notice.
Retrospective applications: If you have already carried out work that required planning permission, you can submit a retrospective planning application. If approved, this regularises the work. If refused, you may be required to remove it.
Time limits: For dwelling houses, the council generally has 4 years to take enforcement action for most types of work. For breaches of planning conditions, the time limit is 10 years. There is no time limit for listed building enforcement.